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CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

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CIHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


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D 


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Coloured  covers/ 
Couverture  de  couleur 


I      I    Covers  damaged/ 


Couverture  endommag6e 

Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
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I      I    Cover  title  missing/ 


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of  tl 
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Orig 
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the  I 
sion 
othe 
first 
sion 
or  ill 


\^\}    Pages  d6color6es,  tachetdes  ou  piqu6es 

□    Pages  detached/ 
Pages  d^tachdes 


JJ^    Showthrough/ 


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Transparence 

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Qualitd  indgaie  de  I'impression 

Includes  supplementary  materii 
Comprend  du  materiel  supplimentaire 


I      I    Quality  of  print  varies/ 

|~~|    Includes  supplementary  material/ 


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Map 
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entli 
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reqi 
met 


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m 

( 

rhis  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  filmi  au  taux  de  reduction  indiqui  ci-dessous 

10X                            14X                            18X                            22X 

->. 

26X 

30X 

• 

12X 

16X 

20X 

24X 

28X                            32X 

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method: 


Les  images  suivantes  ont  At6  reproduites  avec  le 
plus  grand  soin,  compte  tenu  de  la  condition  et 
de  la  nettetd  de  l'exemplaire  film6,  et  en 
conformity  avec  les  conditions  du  contrat  de 
filmage. 

Les  exemplaires  originaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier  est  imprimde  sont  ffilmte  en  commenqant 
par  le  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  soit  par  la 
dernidre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration,  soit  par  le  second 
plat,  selon  le  cas.  Tous  les  autres  exemplaires 
originaux  sont  ffilmte  en  commen9ant  par  la 
premiere  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  dernidre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 

Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaltra  sur  la 
dernidre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbole  — ►  signifie  "A  SUIVRE",  le 
symbols  V  signifie  "FIN". 

Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  dtre 
film6s  d  des  taux  de  reduction  diff6rents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  dtre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  clich6,  il  est  film6  d  partir 
de  I'angle  sup6rieur  gauche,  de  gauche  d  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  nicessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  m6thode. 


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BISHOP   STEWAllT, 


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JOHN    N".    XORTOIT, 

RKCTOR  OP  ASCENSION   CITDROH,  FRANKFORT,  KT. 

AUTHOB  OF  "full  PROOF  OP  THE  MINISTRY;"  "  ROCKPORD  PARISH ;» 
"SUOKT  SERMONS ;"   "  LIFE  OF  BISUOP  HEBER,"   ETC. 


"  He  reals  from  hJH  lalKtrB,  and  his  woiks  do  follow  him."  Those  works  (animat- 
ing Incentive  to  C^uisllaii  ettoi t !)  prove  what  a  vast  amount  of  ijood  may  be 
achieved  by  tlic  inHtrumeninlity  of  a  man  of  moderate  abilities  unrler  the  influenoe) 
of  a  heart  tnurouglily  ihsi  vndefl  by  the  love  of  jEbUt),  and  cou^ecrated  to  the  •loi'VlcO 
of  Ood. — Bishop  Hensbaw. 


CO 


M 


!   f 


NEW    YORK: 

m&tntxui  39rotestant  H|)isfoi)al  SunUag  Scijool  &ninn 
anil  €:t)urc!)  38ooft  Sccictj?, 

T62    BROADWAY. 


N(o7 


Q  0 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1859, 

By  the  General  Protestant  Episcopal  Sunday  School  Union 
AND  Church  Book  Society, 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States  for  the 
Southern  District  of  New  York. 


William  Dbnybe, 

•trrkottpbb  and  blkctrottfkb, 

1D3  WiUiam  »reet,  N.  Y 


PUDNBT  k  RUSSBLL, 
PRINTERS, 

19  Mm  Street,  N.  Y. 


TO 


THE    REV.    T.    B.    FULLER,   D.D., 


3IXectoi:  ot  STfiorolti,  <B:.  W.,  anti  3£lural  IBean. 


ON 


the 


I.L. 


r. 


My  Dear  Sir— You  have  probably  long  since  lost  sight  of  the 
young  clergyman  from  Kentucky  who  travelled  with  you  from  New 
York  to  Buflfalo,  the  day  after  the  adjournment  of  our  General  Con- 
vention of  1858 ;  but  he  has  by  no  means  forgotten  you.  The  im- 
pression made  upon  my  heart  by  the  appearance  of  your  honored 
delegation  from  the  Canadian  Church,  in  that  great  Council,  is  one 
which  can  never  be  effaced. 

I  bless  God  for  the  growing  affection  which  is  binding  together 
the  different  branches  of  the  True  Vine ;  and  I  am  rejoiced  to  be 
able  to  assure  you  that  the  hope  which  you  once  so  kindly  expressed 
in  a  letter  to  me,  that  our  Sunday  School  Union  might  be  made  a 
more  efficient  agent  of  carrying  on  the  work  of  Cod,  has  been  fully 
realized. 

As  a  slight  testimony  of  personal  esteem  for  yourself,  and  of  affec- 
tion for  all  who  belong  to  our  Sister  Church,  in  Canada,  I  ven- 
ture to  inscribe  to  you  this  memorial  of  one,  who,  though  he  lived 
and  labored  in  your  portion  of  the  Vineyard,  is  honored  and  loved 

amongst  us. 

Most  truly  youra, 

THE    AUTHOIl. 


**  Go  constantly  to  church,  whoever  preaches.  The  act  of  devotion 
In  the  Common  Prayer  Book  is  your  principal  business  there,  and,  if 
properly  attended  to,  will  do  more  towards  amending  the  heart  than 
sermons  generally  cm  do.  For  they  were  composed  by  men  of 
much  greater  piety  and  wisdom  than  our  composers  of  sermons  can 
pretend  to  be ;  and  therefore  I  wish  you  would  never  miss  the  prayer 
days ;  yet  I  do  not  mean  that  you  should  despise  sermons,  even  of 
the  preachers  you  dislike;  for  the  discourse  is  often  mueh  better 
than  the  man,  as  sweet  and  clear  waters  come  through  very  dirty 
earth."— Dr.  Franklin's  letter  to  /us  daughter— Sparks^  Li/e^  p.  288. 


PREFACE. 


Thb  reader  who  sits  down  quietly  with  this  little  vol- 
ume in  his  hand,  would  not  suspect  how  much  trouble  it 
had  cost  the  writer  to  collect  the  diiferent  threads  from 
which  the  narrative  has  been  woven. 

After  advancing  several  chapters,  he  was  obliged  to 
send  to  England  for  books  to  throw  additional  light  upon 
some  portions  of  the  history  ;  and  when  the  parcel  came, 
in  the  course  of  three  months'  time,  it  was  a  serious  dis- 
appointment to  find  that  the  ivrong  volumes  had  been 
packed  up,  by  mistake.  And  so  nothing  could  be  done 
but  to  send  across  the  ocean  again,  and  wait  the  result 
of  a  second  application. 

But  it  is  hardly  worth  while  to  en  iterate  such  petty 
annoyances,  especially  as  they  have  almost  been  forgotten 
in  the  pleasure  which  the  preparation  of  the  biography 
has  afforded  us.  It  is  earnestly  hoped  that  our  readers 
may  find  the  volume  not  undeserving  of  a  place  by  the 
Bide  of  those  which  have  gone  before  it. 


SeptMnher^  1853. 


I* 


THE  INFLUENCE  OF  THE  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH. 


Thi  Protestant  Episcopal  CImrch  in  the  United  States  is  numer- 
ically a  comparatively  small  body.    In  the  numbers  of  ministers  and 
members,  most  of  the  leading  denominations  of  Christians  rank  be- 
fore  it.    In  proportionate  extension  it  keeps  no  pace  with  them.    It 
is  almost  everywhere  the  last  in  the  fleld,  and  almost  always  at  its 
start  the  weakest  in  the  fleld,  in  every  town  or  community  in  which 
it  is  established.    And  yet,  [>erhaps,  there  is  hardly  a  single  ecclesi 
astieal  body  that  exercises  a  more  distinct   and  positive  influence 
over  the  general  habits  and  mind  of  the  people.    Already  many  of 
its  habits  and  customs  have  become  nearly  universal  in  communities 
where  they  encountered  the  sternest  opposition.    And  the  general 
convenience  and  taste  has  yielded  to  its  example,  and  have  sub- 
mitted to  be  governed  by  its  In&VLenae.—Pfotesta/nt  ChuroJvman» 


1 


IP 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 


PAsa 


numer- 
ars  and 
ink  be- 
)m.    It 
s  at  its 
which 
Jcdeal 
luence 
any  of 
mi  ties 
Dneral 
)  sub- 


Yislt  to  Quebec— Seeing  the  lions— The  most  interesting  spot  of 
all— Two  monuments— Our  readers  counted  as  personal  Mends 
—The  man  now  to  be  introduced — Birth— Some  important  dif- 
ferences between  republics  and  monarchies — Titles  of  nobility 
—Rights  of  birth— Origin  of  such  distinctions— The  different 
members  of  a  noble  family,  and  the  privileges  of  rank — A 
memorable  year— Probabilities— Baptism  and  Confirmation — 
Hope  and  prayers  for  our  land 11 

CHAPTER  II. 

Home  education— The  most  desirable  kind  of  schools — Going  to 
Oxford  — First  glimpse  of  Lhe  city— High  Street,  and  the 
Angel  Inn— Memories  of  the  past — ^List  of  great  men — En- 
trance at  Corpus  Christi— Curious  names — Cap  and  gown- A 
day  in  college— Morning  prayers — And  a  student's  breakfast 
—Lectures  and  recreation— Full  time  for  dinner  The  Latin 
grace— A  breathing  spell,  and  then  four  hours*  hard  work  ....    18 


CHAPTER   IIL 

College  course  ended — Elected  to  a  Fellowship— Ordination — A 
high  dignity— His  first  pastoral  charge — A  sense  of  duty  tri- 
umphing over  inclination— Determination  to  go  as  a  mission- 
ary to  Canada — Letter  to  his  sister — Appointed  to  the  missiou 
of  St  Armand -Condition  of  the  field  of  labor— A  noble  coun- 
try neglected  for  half  a  century  Favorable  change  in  affairs 
—Wisdom  taught  by  experience— Bishop  Mountain,  and  the 
first  appearance  of  his  Diocese 26 


t  •  • 

VI  u 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  IV. 


FAttB 


Leaving  England— Wliat  worldly  wisdom  would  say— Heavenly 
conslduratlona- Arrival  at  Quebec— Settlemont  at  St.  Armand 
—A  mlgslonary  who  had  given  up  in  despair— Hiring  the  large 
room  of  un  inn— First  services- The  balance  slruelc  between 
discouragements  and  better  prospects— Report  to  the  Society 
—Letter  to  his  mother— Notices  of  the  country  and  people — 
The  missionary's  views  and  Ibellngs— Kindred  left,  but  not  for- 
gotten      36 


CHAPTER   V. 

Opening  a  new  church— Sixty  confirmed- When  a  clergyman 
ought  to  be  rich — Graphic  picture,  from  an  eye-witness — Mr. 
Ilenshaw — The  chosen  abode  of  a  nobleman's  sou— Deadnesa 
to  worldly  pomps  and  vanities — Treasures  of  wisdom  sought 
after — Not  handsome,  but  good— The  missionary's  story  of 
what  he  had  experienced  in  his  labors — Going  forth  iu  the 
strength  of  our  Lord  God — "  What  hath  God  wrought" 44 


\i 


CHAPTER   VI. 

A  modest  man's  account  of  his  labors— The  half  not  told — The 
trusty  agent  in  his  one-horse  sleigh— The  idea  of  the  ministry 
— Too  noble  a  spirit  to  be  Influenced  by  national  prejudices- 
Labors  in  New  England— Goodly  gift  to  a  poor  widow — "  That 
best  of  men,  the  minister  of  St.  Armand" — Sitting  on  a  block 
of  wood  and  talking  of  heavenly  glories — Praying  for  the  king 
by  mistake— Faithful  funeral  services  -  Sublime  example  of 
ministerial  fidelity — Disputes  and  wars— 1812— Burning  of 
Washington — Trying  times — Horrors  of  war — Treaty  of  Peace 
— And  a  thanksgiving 


08 


CHAPTER   Vn. 

A  visit  home,  after  years  of  absence — The  mission  not  forgotten 
— A  worthy  schoolmaster  raised  to  a  new  dignity — Interesting 
reminiscences — A  garment  of  humility — Self-denials— Expend-  - 
itures  of  surplus  means — ^Dr.  Chalmers'  rule  carried  out — 
Fruits  of  faithfulness — Stated  limits  of  fasting  and  prayers — 
Friday  well  spent— Carrying  presents— Publishes  a  book  of 
fiimily  devotions— Education  of  the  poor— Liberality 61 


®t.4 


CONTENTS. 


rxau 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


86 


44 


rAoa 


Betum  to  Canada— How  Mr.  R«ld  had  been  getting  along— An> 
oilier  eviiloncn  of  humility — R«'moval  to  Hatley— A  visit  from 
a  friend,  who  reports  what  he  saw— The  garret  and  the  ladder 
— "lie  was  so  prompt" — Boots siiiniug  too  nicely — Desecration 
of  Sunday — Paying  a  man  for  going  to  church— Styie  of  lodg- 
ing—Salt and  potatoes— Little  time  wasted  in  sleep 68 

CHAPTER   IX. 

Peculiar  advantages  for  missionary  lab(»r~A  wider  field  laid 
open — Loolcing  on  the  map — Journey  to  Montreal,  and  to 
many  other  towns  and  villages — The  Irish  settlements — Ee- 
niains  of  the  Six  Nations — Duties  discharged  by  our  general 
missionary— Extreme  western  border  of  Canada — Retracing 
steps— General  review  of  the  whole  tour  One  of  the  practical 
evils  of  dissent 76 

CHAPTKR   X. 

Another  flying  visit  to  England— A  winter's  missionary  our — 
Hull,  on  the  Ottawa-  Factions  united  -  A  fortnight  well  spent 
— Pressing  onward—Rapid  increase  of  the  Church  in  Canada — 
Another  visit  t4)  the  Moravian  Indians  -Too  much  whisky- 
Namesake  of  the  great  London—Severe  illnes8--Trouble  about 
the  Clergy  Reserves— Special  embassy  to  England— Death  of 
Bishop  Mountain,  and  the  appointment  of  his  successor 84 


[ia 


CHAPTER   XL 

An  important  transaction  on  New  Year's  day,  1826— Lambeth 
Palace— The  new  Bishop  of  Quebec-  Extract  from  the  Conse- 
cration Sermon  -Bishop  Stewart's  arrival  at  New  York — 
Preaches  in  Trinity  Church,  New  York— Departure  for  Que- 
bec— A  description  of  his  installation  from  an  Engliah  point  of 
Tiew 90 


CHAPTER  XIL 

Honors  and  dignities,  but  no  change  in  simplicity  of  heart — 
Testimony  of  Mrg.  Hannah  More--"  A  great  advancement"— 
First  Episcopal  visitatioa  — Large  Confirmations  —  Primary 


CONTENTS. 


charge  to  the  clergy ~A  call  to  humility— Timely  suggestiont 
Importance  of  catechising— Preparation  for  the  Lord's  Supper 


PAoa 


98 


CHAPTER  Xm. 

A  successor  as  travelling  missionary— Importance  of  this  office— 
Visitations  of  1827  and  1828— Modes  of  travelling— Interesting 
scene—Tour  to  the  bays  of  Gasp6  and  Ghaleurs— Carriage 
breaks  down— The  Bishop  sitting  on  a  pine-log'— Always  in 
the  way  of  duty— The  wretched  hovel—"  Of  what  religion  are 
you  ?"— Saying  the  Catechism -An  overflowing  heart 1 . 


\i 


il 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

Six  months  in  the  field— Various  churches  consecrated— Not  a 
robust  body,  but  a  stout  heart—Hard  field  of  labor— Improve- 
ment— Number  of  clergy  in  1831— Visitation  of  the  eastern 
townships— The  Bishop's  old  home—Walking  in  the  way  of 
the  Lord  -Good  efiects  of  a  Temperance  Society  —  Useful 
course  of  ministration— Visible  decay — Providing  for  the  fti- 
ture— A  coadjutor  appointed 117 

CHAPTER  XV. 

Farewell  to  Quebec—The  great  Temperance  meeting  at  Saratov 
— A  speech  from  the  Bishop — Arrival  at  New  York — Dr.  Hen 
shaw's  last  recollections  of  him — Reaches  England — ^Afilictinf 
intelligence — Visit  to  Brighton — A  touching  scene  in  church- 
Prayer  for  a  sick  child — Power  of  faith  and  love 122 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

Hopes  of  getting  back  to  Scotland  to  die^Failure  of  strength- 
Goes  to  London— Thoughtful  attentions  of  a  relative— Two 
faithful  servants— Last  days— Falls  asleep— Estimate  of  Bishop 
Stewart's  character — Origin  of  the  word  Canada— The  better 
riches— The  saint's  rest— Mural  tablet  at  St.  Armaad 180 


)8^ 

per 

»8    ' 

e— 

in 

ire 

..  1  -. 


LIFE    OF 


BISHOP    STEWART. 


€imUx  iitit. 


VISIT  TO  QUBBEO — SEEIXa  THE  LIONS — ^THE  MOST  INTEB- 

ESTINa  SPOT  OF  ALL — ^TWO  MONUMENTS OUB  EEADEES 

COUNTED  AS  PERSONAL  FRIENDS THE  MAN  NOW  TO  BE 

INTRODUCED — BIBTH — SOME  IMPORTANT  DIFFERENCES 
BETWEEN  REPUBLICS  AND  MONARCHIES TITLES  OF  NO- 
BILITY— RIGHTS  OF  BIBTH — ORIGIN  OF  SUCH  DISTINC- 
TIONS  ^THE  DIFFERENT  MEMBERS  OF  A  NOBLE  FAMILY, 

AND  THE  PRIVILEGES  OF  RANK — A  MEMORABLE  YEAR 
— PROBABILITIES  —  BAPTISM  AND  CONFIRMATION  — 
HOPES  AND  PRAYERS  FOR  OUR  LAND. 

N  the  24th  of  July,  1855,  I  entered 
the  gates  of  Quebec,  a  city  made  fa- 
mous by  so  many  historical  associa- 
tions. Like  all  curious  travellers,  I 
went  out  to  the  Heights  of  Abraham, 
and  saw  the  spot  where  the  noble 
General  Wolfe  was  killed,  and  visited  the 
Citadel.     As  a  Christian  and  a  clergyman, 


'"■**, 


12 


LIFE   OF   BTSTIOl    STEWART. 


i 


ti 


ii 


however,  my  feelings  were  most  interested 
while  standing  before  the  monuments,  in  the 
English  Cathedral,  which  have  been  erected 
to  the  memory  of  Bishops  Stewart  and 
Mountain,  two  holy  and  devoted  men  whose 
names  will  long  be  held  in  grateful  remem- 
brance. It  is  my  purpose,  in  this  little 
volume,  to  furnish  a  sketch  of  the  life  of  the 
first  of  these  distinguished  Prelates. 

I  have  intruded  myself  so  often  upon  the 
notice  of  my  readers,  that  I  begin  to  regard 
them  as  my  personal  friends,  and  it  shall  be 
my  endeavor  to  prove  myself  neither  a  prosy 
nor  an  unprofitable  companion. 

It  has  been  my  privilege  to  record  the  lives 
of  some  whom  the  Almighty  raised  up  from 
humble  stations  to  do  a  great  work  for  His 
Church ;  and  I  am  now  to  speak  of  one  who 
forsook  the  pleasures  of  earth,  and  all  that 
wealth  and  high  rank  can  oflfer,  in  oider  to 
devote  himself  to  the  noble  purpose  ol  win- 
ning souls  to  Christ.  I  pray  God  that  this 
bright  example  of  self-sacrifice  and  devotion 


I" 

I'f*/ 


REPUBLICS  AND  MONARCHIES. 


13 


^ested 
the 

Jcted 

and 
fiose 

lem- 
ittle 

the 

the 
ard 
be 

)S7 

ee 
m 

IB 
0 

t 
> 


may  exert  an  influence  for  good  upon  him 
who  writes,  and  those  who  shall  read,  this 
book.  Charles  James  Stewart,  the  fifth  son 
of  the  Earl  of  Galloway,  was  bom  on  the 
13th  of  April,  1775. 

As  my  readers  are  living  under  a  Eepubli- 
can  form  of  government,  where  we  have  no 
titles  of  nobility,  I  must  endeavor  to  explain, 
in  few  words,  the  state  of  society  as  it  exi^s 
in  countries  where  such  distinctions  prevail. 
With  us,  every  one  may  have  the  shaping  of 
his  own  fortune;  and,  by  the  blessing  of  God 
upon  patient  and  painstaking  effort,  there  is 
no  position  of  eminence  which  we  may  not 
hope  to  reach.  In  a  Monarchy,  the  case  is 
different.  A  King  governs  the  nation,  and 
his  son  or  daughter,  or  some  other  lawful  de- 
scendant, succeeds  to  this  authority  upon  his 
death — and  thus  the  ruler  is  horn  to  be  such, 
and  not  elected^  as  among  us.  Next  to  the 
Sovereign  are  various  ranks  of  nobility  — 
Dukes,  Marquises,  Earls,  Lords,  etc. — who  are 
generally  supposed  to  be  persons  of  wealth 


14 


LIFE  OF  BISHOP   STEWART. 


;[■:; 


■-I 


and  refinement.  They  claim  the  first  civil 
honors  and  privileges  above  the  other  classes 
of  society,  by  the  right  of  birth.  The  oldest 
son  of  a  Lord  succeeds  to  the  title  of  his 
father,  while  the  younger  heirs,  although 
considered  honorable,  because  they  have 
sprung  from  this  noble  stock,  must  make  their 
way  in  life  by  entering  one  of  the  learned 
pi'ofessions,  or  becoming  soldiers,  or  seamen, 
or  anything  else  which  they  choose.  Now 
and  then,  a  person  who  has  made  himself 
distinguished  by  his  learning  or  achievements, 
is  elevated  to  the  rank  of  the  nobility,  as  in 
the  case  of  Mr.  Macaulay,  of  our  own  day, 
and  the  great  sea-captain,  Nelson,  in  1801. 

The  hereditary  nobility  in  England  had 
its  origin  at  the  time  of  the  Norman  Conquest, 
in  the  tenth  and  eleventh  centuries. 

The  father  of  Bishop  Stewart  was  the  Earl 
of  Galloway,  as  I  stated  before;  but  I  think 
that  my  young  readers  will  now  have  a  more 
distinct  idea  of  what  is  meant  by  this  title. 
Stewart  was  the  family  name,  which  would 


-,«'■ 


PRIVILEGES   OF   RANK. 


15 


belong  to  all  of  the  children,  and  the  title 
would  descend  to  the  eldest  son. 

All  9f  them,  however,  would  be  looked  up 
to,  as  the  members  of  a  great  and  noble 
family.  Their  father  had  a  seat  in  the  House 
of  Lords — ^the  upper  branch  of  the  English 
Parliament ;  they  lived  in  a  fine  house,  and 
were  allowed  various  privileges,  because  of 
the  position  which  he  occupied. 

I  am  the  more  particular  to  bring  this  dis- 
tinctly before  you,  in  order  that  you  may 
realize  the  sacrifices  which  Mr.  Stewart  made 
when  he  left  the  comforts  of  an  English 
home,  and  the  advantages  to  which  his  social 
position  entitled  him,  that  he  might  preach 
the  Gospel  in  the  desolate  places  of  Canada. 

We  know  but  little  of  Bishop  Stewart's 
youth.  The  year  of  his  birth  was  a  memo- 
rable one  in  the  history  of  our  own  country, 
for  it  was  in  1775  that  the  great  struggle 
began,  which  was  to  end  in  the  separation 
of  the  thirteen  American  colonies  from  the 
mother  country.    The  little  English  boy,  as 


M 


16 


LIFE  OF  BISHOP   STEWART. 


i\ 


he  grew  old  enough  to  feel  an  interest  in  the 
conversation  of  his  elders,  must  have  often 
heard  them  speak  of  those  disturbances  on 
the  other  side  of  the  broad  Atlantic,  which 
gave  the  King  of  England  so  much  concern, 
and  which  were  the  occasion  of  so  many  ex- 
citing debates  in  Parliament.  Perhaps  these 
very  events  led  him  to  think  more  frequently 
of  the  people  of  that  great  continent,  which 
was  afterwards  to  become  the  theatre  of 
his  labors,  and  to  implant  a  desire  to  go 
thither. 

Be  all  this  as  it  may,  we  have  every  reason 
to  believe  that  Bishop  Stewart  was  a  good 
and  dutiful  boy ;  for  only  such  a  child  could 
have  become  so  great  and  noble  a  man. 

By  far  the  larger  portion  of  the  people  of 
England  are  members  of  the  Apostolic 
Church,  which  was  planted  there,  as  we  hon- 
estly believe,  by  St.  Paul  himself.  Into  this 
body  of  Christ  the  son  of  the  Earl  of  Gallo- 
way was  engrafted  by  holy  Baptism,  in  early 
infancy,  and  when  fourteen  or  fifteen  years 


PRATEKS  FOR   OUR  LAND. 


17 


t  in  the 
''e  often 
Qces  on 
5  which 
oncem, 
any  ex- 
)s  these 
juently 
,  which 
itre  of 
to  go 


^Y^'- 

Uf 


of  age,  he  renewed  the  vows  thus  made  in 
his  behalf,  in  the  rite  of  Confirmation. 

We  hope  and  pray  that  our  own  beloved 
Church,  a  branch  of  the  same  true  vine,  may 
so  faithfully  fulfil  her  high  and  noble  destiny, 
that  it  may  hereafter  be  said  of  the  inhabitants 
of  this  land,  that  all  her  children  are  taught 
of  the  Lord!  Then  will  God's  abundant 
blessing  rest  upon  it. 

2* 


reason 
a  good 
I  could 

pie  of 
ostolic 
e  hon- 
fco  this 
Gallo- 
i  early 
years 


Cfeajtn  ^KffnJr. 


HOME  EDUCATION — THE  MOST  DESIRABLE  KIND  OF  SCHOOLS 
GOING  TO  OXFORD — FIRST  GLIMPSE  OF  THE  CITY- 
HIGH  STREET,  AND  THE  ANGEL  INN MEMORIES  OF  THE 

PAST — A  LIST   OF   GREAT   MEN — ENTRANCE   AT   00RPF8 

OHRISTI CURIOUS  NAMES — CAP  AND  GOWN — A  DAY  IN 

COLLEGE MORNING  PRAYERS,  AND  A  STUDENT's  BREAK- 
FAST— LECTURES    AND    RECREATION FULL    TIME    FOR 

DINNER — THE  LATIN  GRACE — A  BREATHING  SPELL,  AND 
THEN   FOUR   HOUUS'   HARD    WORK, 


NSTEAD  of  exposing  his  son  to  the 
peculiar  dangers  to  which  he  would  be 
subjected  in  a  large,  overgrown  board- 
ing-school, the  Earl  of  Galloway  kept 
Charles  at  home,  where  a  private 
tutor  was  employed  for  his  benefit. 
Of  course,  I  do  not  mean  to  condemn  all 
public  schools ;  for  we  could  not  possibly  dis- 
pense with  them.  Neither  is  it  desirable  to 
keep  boys  in  perfect  ignorance  of  the  world, 
because,  sooner  or  later,  they  must  go  forth 


^lael 


GOING  TO   OXFORD. 


19 


OF  SCHOOLS 
IIE  CITY-^ 
!IES  OF  THE 
AT  CORPUS 
—A  DAY  IN 

t's  break- 
time   FOR 
3PELL,  AND 


1  to  the 
/-ould  be 
a  board- 
^ay  kept 
private 
Qefit. 
emn  all 
ibly  dis- 
*able  to 
5  world, 
:o  forth 


from  retirement,  and  mingle  with  the  bnsy 
throng.  At  the  same  time,  experience  has 
shown,  that  small  family  schools  are  the  very 
^best  nurseries  for  training  up  ripe  scholars, 
and  for  preserving  the  young  from  many 
dangerous  forms  of  temptation. 

At  the  usual  age,  the  future  Bishop  of  Que- 
bec was  sent  to  Oxford,  and  entered  Corpus 
Christi  College.  And  here  I  must  pause  to 
explain,  that  England,  instead  of  being  dotted 
all  over  with  a  multitude  of  Collegiate  Insti- 
tutions, struggling  for  existence,  has  expended 
her  energies  in  building  up  two  great  Uni- 
versities, one  at  Oxford  and  the  other  at 
Cambridge. 

Each  of  these  Universities  contains  many 
distinct  Colleges,  but  all  under  the  general 
superintendence  of  one  controlling  power. 

It  must  have  been  a  proud  day  for  the 
youth,  who  had  hitherto  been  so  closely  con- 
fined to  his  books,  at  home,  when  he  went, 
with  his  tutor,  to  seek  admission  to  the  classic 
halls  of  Oxford.     This  city  of  Colleges  is 


20 


LIFE  OF  BISHOP   BTEWART. 


delightfully  situated,  on  a  gentle  eminence, 
in  a  valley  at  the  confluence  of  the  Isis  and 
Cherwell,  not  far  from  the  river  Thames. 

We  may  fancy  Charles  Stewart  looking 
down  with  admiration  from  the  neighboring 
heights  upon  the  imposing  spectacle  produced 
by  such  a  number  and  variety  of  spires,  and 
domes,  and  towers ;  a  spectacle  of  such  strik- 
ing magnificence  as  to  astonish  all  who  behold 
it.  And  now  the  coach  is  entering  High- 
Street,  one  of  the  most  beautiful  in  the  world, 
and,  like  most  travellers,  the  young  man  and 
his  companion  are  set  down  at  the  famous 
Angel  Inn. 

What  a  multitude  of  reflections  must  have 
crowded  upon  his  mind!  He  was  now  in 
that  city  where  King  Alfred  had  once  lived, 
and  where  the  English  Parliament  had  met, 
in  days  of  yore.  Here,  Wicklifl*e,  and  Wol- 
sey,  and  More,  and  Raleigh,  and  Chilling- 
worth,  and  Hampden,  and  Clarendon,  and 
Locke,  and  Addison,  and  Blackstone,  and 
Lowth,  and  Johnson,  and  hundreds  more, 


1 


a 
I 

1 


4 


-u 


ENTRANCE   AT   C'OEPUS   CIIBI8TI. 


21 


'   1 


pence, 
lis  and 

JS. 

>oking 
boring 
diiced 
es,  and 
1  strik- 
beliold 
High- 
world, 
an  and 
famous 

5t  have 
low  in 
lived, 
d  met, 
1  Wol- 
lilling- 
1,  and 
J,  and 
more, 


among  tlie  great  ones  of  the  kingdom,  had 
been  educated,  in  times  gone  by. 

*' Every  College  has  its  history;  every  stone, 
and  every  tree,  and  every  turf  snggost  en- 
nobling reflections,  as  memorials  of  departed 
worth ;  but  the  hallowed  memory  of  martyrs 
sheds  over  all  a  deep  and  sober  glory,  that 
awes  while  its  inspires."* 

Some  of  the  Colleges  which  form  the  Uni- 
versity of  Oxford  are  large  institutions,  with 
accommodations  for  many  students,  while 
others  are  comparatively  small. 

Young  Stewart  entered  Corpus  Christi; 
very  likely  his  father,  and  grandfather  before 
him,  had  been  educated  there. 

My  young  readers  would  be  struck  with 
the  names  of  these  Colleges.  There  is  one 
called  Oriel;  another,  All-Souls;  a  third, 
Magdalen ;  and  then  there  is  Jesus  College, 
and  Brazen-Nose ;  and  fifteen  others,  besides 
five  Halls.     These  Halls  differ  from  Colleges 

o  Coxe's  Impressions  of  England,  p.  56 — a  most  charm- 
ing book  of  travels. 


A 


■^r 


,ti   'i 


22 


LIFE   OF   lURTTOT-   STEWART. 


in  this  respect,  that  tlicy  are  not  endowed 
with  fellowships. 

Corpus  Christi  (the  words  mean  the  Body 
of  Christ)  was  founded  in  1516,  and  has 
twenty  fellowships,  and  the  same  number  of 
scholarships. 

As  College  life  in  England  differs,  in  many 
respects,  from  College  life  in  our  own  country, 
it  will  not  be  time  misspent  if  we  look  in 
upon  the  son  of  the  Earl  of  Galloway,  and 
watch  his  proceedings  for  a  single  day. 

You  will  observe,  at  the  outset,  that  he  had 
now  put  on  the  peculiar  dress  used  by  the 
students  at  the  Universities.  The  long,  flow- 
ing gown  (very  much  like  that  worn  by  cler- 
gymen), and  the  Oxford  cap,  with  its  flat  top 
and  silk  tassel,  show,  at  a  glance,  that  his 
preliminary  examinations  are  over,  and  that 
his  name  is  enrolled  among  the  students  of 
Corpus  Christi. 

It  is  seven  o'clock,  in  the  morning,  and  the 
bell  is  slowly  tolling  the  summons  for  prayers. 
The  young  Collegian  hastens  to  the  Chapel, 


I 


^ 


■'/, 


M 


Hi 


L. 


A    DAY    IN   COLT.KOK. 


23 


I  do  wed 


J  Body 

id   has 

iber  of 

I  many 

nintrv. 

ook  in 

y,  and 

\ 

• 

he  had 

• 

by  the 

^  flow- 

y  cler- 

at  toj) 

1 

at  his 

i  that 

t 

Its  of 

-■$ 

id  the 

■    1^,, 

lyers. 

1 

lapel, 

« 

and  takes  his  place,  Prayer-book  in  hand, 
ready  to  unite  in  tlie  service.  This  occupies 
half  an  hour,  'md  then  he  walks  about  for 
fifteen  minutes,  o/  more,  in  the  beautiful 
grounds,  while  the?  bod-nuiker  gets  his  rooms 
in  order.  I  say  roomys,  for  the  student  is  not 
confined  to  one  small  apartment,  but  has 
several  at  his  command.  In  the  case  of  those 
belonging  to  noble  families,  like  Mr.  Stewart, 
these  are  fitted  up  with  no  small  taste  and 
care.  The  weather  is  cool  (for  it  is  a  bracing 
October  morning),  and  at  eight  o'clock  the 
young  man  is  seated  before  a  cheerlul  blazing 
coal  fire,  eating  his  breakfast,  which  is  spread 
on  a  small  table  by  his  side.  He  intends  to 
do  a  good,  hard  day's  work,  and  therefore  his 
repast  is  simple,  nothing  but  rolls  and  butter, 
and  a  cup  of  tea.  An  hour  afterwards  we 
find  him  in  the  Lecture-room,  and  he  con- 
tinues to  be  most  closely  occupied  until  noon. 
From  two  to  four  he  lays  aside  his  cap  and 
gown,  and  joins  his  companions  in  some 
manly  sports,  or  takes  a  good  walk  through 


I 


24 


LIFE   OF   BISHOP   STEWART. 


the  pleasant  country  bordering  on  the  city 
limits. 

It  would  be  well  for  .  their  health  if  all 
students  were  equally  attentive  to  such  things. 
There  would  be  fewer  pale  faces  amongst  us, 
and  length  of  days,  and  greater  efficiency 
and  usefulness,  would  be  the  natural  result. 

By  four  o'clock  the  students  have  all 
returned  to  their  rooms,  and  are  awaiting  the 
summons  to  dinner.  Arrayed  once  more  in 
their  flowing  gowns,  they  flock  to  the  hall, 
where  the  substantial  meal  is  spread,  and 
when  grace  has  been  said,  they  begin  with 
keen  appetites  to  discuss  the  wholesome 
repast.  The  English  students  allow  them- 
selves full  time  to  eat,  and  do  not  bolt  their 
meals  with  that  hot  haste  which  is  so  common 
with  us. 

About  three  quarters  of  an  hour  after  sitting 
down,  dinner  is  closed  by  the  reading  of  an 
old  Latin  hymn.* 

^  One  of  these  Monkigh  H3m3LnB,  with  a  translation  by 


I  ^ 


^ 


city 

f  all 
ings. 
t  lis, 
ency 
ult. 

all 
?  the 
re  in 
hall, 
and 
with 
some 
hem- 
their 
mon 


FOUR   HOTJES'    HARD   WORK. 


25 


After  dinner,  no  active  exercise  is  taken, 
and  no  abstruse  studies  are  pursued.  Tie 
students  are  leisurely  strolling  about  the 
College  grounds,  or,  if  the  weather  is  inclem- 
ent, they  betake  themselves  to  the  reading- 
rooms,  which  are  abundantly  supplied  with 
papers  and  periodicals  of  every  sort.  At  six 
o'clock,  the  chapel  bell  rings  again,  for  even- 
ing prayers.  And  then  come  three  or  four 
hours  of  close  study,  interrupted  for  a  few 
minutes  to  take  a  cup  of  tea,  and  by  eleven 
o'clock  the  lights  are  out  and  all  have  gone 
to  rest. 

Bishop  Home,  will  be  found  in  the  Churchman! 8  Magazine, 
Vol.  6,  p  398  (1808). 

3 


^m 


i-.JVil 


rj 


mi 


¥ 


;ting 
f  an 


Q  by 


* 


^la^tu  ipri. 


COLLEGE  OOTTRSE  ENDED — ELECTED  TO  A  FELLOWSHIP— 
ORDINATION — A  HIGH  DIGNITY — HI8  FIRST  PASTORAL 
CHARGE — A  SENSE  OF  DUTY  TRIUMPHING  OVER  INCLI- 
NATION— DETERMINATION  TO  GO  AS  A  MISSIONARY  TO 
CANADA — LETTER  TO  HIS  SISTER — APPOINTED  TO  THE 
MISSION  OF  ST.  ARMAND— CONDITION  OF  THE  FIELD  OF 

LABOR A  NOBLE    COUNTRY   NEGLECTED   FOR   HALF    A 

CENTURY — FAVORABLE    CHANGE    IN   AFFAIRS — WISDOM 
TAUGHT  BY  EXPERIENCE- 
FIRST   APPEARANCE   OF  HIS    DIOCESE. 


-BISHOP  MOUNTAIN,  AND  THE 


1    ^ 

■        t! 

(VO)^  HEJS"    Mr.    Stewart    had     passed 
^  ''  1  ?  through  the  regular  course  of  study 
}^J^4^   at   Corpus  Christi,  and  taken  his 
degree  of  A.  B.,  he  was  elected  to  a 
Fellowship^  in  the  aristocratic  Col- 
lege of  All-Souls, 
lie  had  now  entered  upon  his  twentieth 
year.     In  1799,  after  taking  his   degree  of 

^  The  System  of  FeUowships  is  explained  in  the  Life  of 
Bishop  Ileber,  a  former  volume  of  this  series,  p.  37. 


A  HIGH   DIGNITY. 


27 


Master  of  Arts,  Mr.  Stewart  was  ordained  to 
the  holy  ministry,  for  the  duties  of  which  he 
had  been  so  long  striving  to  prepare  himself. 

We  can  well  imagine  the  solemn  emotions 
with  which  he  listened  to  the  Bishop's  ad- 
monitions when,  having  finished  his  term  of 
service  in  the  lower  office  of  Deacon,  he  was 
about  to  be  admitted  to  the  Priesthood: 
"  And  now  again  we  exhort  you  in  the  name 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  that  you  have  in 
remembrance  into  how  high  a  dignity,  and 
to  how  weighty  an  office  and  charge  you  are 
called;  that  is  to  say,  to  be  a  Messenger, 
Watchman,  and  Steward  of  the  Lord ;  to 
teach,  and  to  premonish,  to  feed  and  provide 
for  the  Lord's  family;  to  seek  for  Christ's 
sheep  that  are  dispersed  abroad,  and  for  his 
children  who  are  in  the  midst  of  this  naughty 
world,  that  they  may  be  saved  through  Christ 
for  ever." 

As  heartily  as  the  candidate  may  have 
resolved,  by  God's  grace,  to  devote  himself 
to  this  great  work,  he  could  hardly  realize 


J     ''j 


n 


n 


n 


28 


LIFE  OF  BISHOP   STEWART. 


how  mucli  of  self-sacrifice  and  devotion  this 
pledge  would  require  of  him.  Mr.  Stewart's 
first  charge  was  that  of  Orton  Longueville, 
and  Botolph  Bridge,  not  far  from  Peter- 
borough. Here  he  continued  faithfuiIy  to 
discharge  his  duties  for  eight  years.  All  this 
while  he  was  becoming  more  and  more 
seriously  impressed  with  the  idea  that  it  was 
his  duty  to  leave  his  native  land,  and  go  off 
to  some  distant  foreign  station,  for  which  it 
was  difficult  to  secure  a  supply  of  active, 
devoted  clergymen.  It  was  somewhat  re- 
markable that  this  should  be  the  case,  for 
there  were  many  reasons  why  it  would  have 
been  natural  for  Mr.  Stewart  to  desire  to  re- 
main in  his  own  country.  Being  a  person  of 
noble  birth  and  connexions,  and  possessed  of 
an  independent  property,  brought  up  in  the 
lap  of  luxury,  and  little  accustomed  to  hard- 
ships of  any  sort,  worldly  policy  would  have 
suggested  that  the  road  to  eminence  was 
opened  before  him  at  home,  and  that  he  had 
better  remain  where  he  was. 


1 


*i^g. 


S>-1 


i 


I 


i 


MISSIONARY   TO   CANADA. 


29 


But  Mr.  Stewart  was  a  man  who  submitted 
himself,  most  implicitly,  to  the  leadings  of 
conscience.  No  matter  what  motives  might 
be  urged  on  one  side,  if  the  voice  of  this 
faithful  monitor  gave  its  decision  on  the  other, 
he  was  always  ready  to  obey.  A  hundred 
clergymen  would  be  found  willing  to  accept 
the  charge  of  his  English  parish,  where  one 
would  present  himself  as  a  missionary  for  the 
distant  field  in  Canada.  When  we  think  of 
Mr.  Stewart,  in  his  quiet  rectory  in  Hunting- 
don, nursing  with  prayers  and  meditation 
the  strong  resolution  which  led  him  to  quit 
such  a  position,  and  to  embrace  the  trials  and 
crosses  which  awaited  him,  we  cannot  but 
regard  him  as  being  under  the  influence  of 
that  Spirit  of  God  which  judges  not  after  the 
manner  of  men,  but  casts  down  human  im- 
aginations and  high  things,  and  brings  every 
thought  into  captivity  to  the  obedience  of 
Christ. 

Eeferring  to  this  period,  in  a  letter  written 
to  his  sister  many  years  after  his  removal  to 

3* 


i 


{ 1 


'  I 


(i 


im 


30 


LIFE   OF   BT8TI0P   STEWART. 


I 


Canada,  he  says,  "Providence  originally  led 
me  to  this  country,  and  has  continued  me  in 
it,  in  a  manner  which  has  always  satisfied  me 
that  I  have  been  following  my  duty ;  and  I 
am  persuaded  that  if  I  am  faithful,  Provi- 
dence will  continue  to  be  my  guide.  You 
will  know  that  those  who  really  trust  in  God, 
see  His  guiding  and  preserving  hand  without 
their  being  enthusiasts.  Devotion  to  His  ser- 
vice made  me  a  missionary.  Some  persons 
will  tell  you  that  I  could  do  much  good  in 
England  and  Ireland,  and  so  forth.  True. 
But  I  undertook  to  make  exertions  and  sacri- 
fices, for  the  cause  of  the  Gospel  and  of  souls, 
which  were  not  necessary  except  in  a  mission- 
ary, and  which  few  ministers  will  or  can 
make;  which  is  plainly  the  case  from  the 
difficulty  of  getting  missionaries,  and  for 
whom  our  Church  is  calling.  I  well  know 
that  it  was  worldly  motives  which  deterred 
me  from  offering  myself  sooner  than  I  did; 
but,  thank  God !  through  His  providence  and 
grace  signally  calling  me,  a  weak  creature, 


1 


iii . 


CONDITION   OF  THE   FIELD   OF  LABOR.        ?>1 

pious  motives  prevailed.  At  present  I  must 
persevere  in  them ;  and  it  is  probable  if  I  do 
not  relax  in  piety,  I  shall  continue  to  persevere 
in  a  missionary  way." 

No  one  can  doubt  that  these  words  were 
written  by  one  whose  heart  was  devoted  to 
the  cause  of  Christ. 

Mr.  Stewart  had  reached  his  thirty-second 
year  when  he  offered  his  services  to  the  Soci- 
ety for  the  Propagation  of  tlie  Gospel,  and 
was  appointed  to  the  Mission  of  St.  Armand, 
in  Canada. 

And  now,  while  he  is  preparing  for  his 
voyage,  we  will  endeavor,  in  few  words,  to 
give  an  idea  of  the  condition  of  the  field  in 
which  he  proposed  to  labor. 

"Although  Canada  had  been  subject  to  tlie 
crown  of  England  for  nearly  half  a  century, 
and  although  the  splendid  achievement  of 
Wolfe  had  invested  its  name  with  a  certain 
degree  of  popular  notoriety,  yet  the  country 
was  neglected  and  disparaged  to  a  degree 
which    seems    marvellous  to    a  generation 


m 


'M 


32 


LIFE   OF   BIB  HOP   STKWA.RT. 


whicli  has  witnessed  the  more  recent  develop- 
ment of  its  resources.    The  population   of 
England  had  not  then  reached  that  excess 
whicli  renders  emigration  a  familiar  thought ; 
the  protracted  war  with  France  increased  the 
danger  of  the  passage  of  the  Atlantic;  and 
perhaps  Englishmen  in  that  age  considered 
America  as  a  continent  which  the  declaration 
of  independence  rendered  it  impossible  for 
them  to  contemplate  with  any  feeling  of  sat- 
isfaction.   The  noble  province  of  Canada,  in 
which  two  millions  of  thriving  inhabitants 
are  now  found  to  be  a  population  too  scanty 
to  reclaim  its  fertile  soil,  or  to  search  out  its 
hidden  mineral  treasures,  was  left  to  be  oc- 
cupied by  a  tithe  of  that  number  at  the  close 
of  the  last  century.     A  little  English  legisla- 
tion, and  a  few  English  troops  to  garrison  its 
two  small  towns,  and  its  forts,  were  almost 
the  only  signs  of  attention  it  received  from 
England.     Tlie  population   of  the  province, 
when  it  became  subject  to  England,  consisted 
of  French  Koman  Catholics,  with  a  few  per- 


BISHOP   MOUNTAIN. 


33 


jlop- 
of 
cess 
Ight; 
the 
and 
ered 
tion 
for 
sat- 
a,  in 
ants 
intj 
t  its 
oc- 
lose 
sla- 
its 
ost 
Jill 
ee, 
ed 
3r- 


isliing  Indian  tribes.  Disbanded  soldi ci's, 
and  camp-followers,  tlie  very  refuse  of  the 
army,  were  the  first  specimens  of  English 
settlers.  Happily  for  Canada,  the  nextipddi- 
tion  to  her  population  was  of  a  more  honor- 
able description.  Loyalists  driven  from  the 
American  Republic  came  in  large  numbers 
to  Canada,  and  found  a  home  for,  their  indus- 
try, their  laws,  and  their  religion.  Taught, 
by  well-merited  adversity,  to  believe  tliat 
religion  is  a  real  and  strong  bond  of  union 
among  Christians,  British  statesmen  gave,  or 
rather  suflered  to  be  given,  to  the  exiled 
Church,  that  boon  of  Episcopacy  which  for 
a  hundred  years  she  sought  for  and  was 
denied. 

"The  first  Colonial  Bishopric,  Nova  Scotia, 
was  erected  in  1787;  and  in  1793  Canada,  or, 
as  it  was  then  called,  the  Province  of  Quebec, 
was  created  a  separate  see. 

''The  first  Bishop  of  Quebec,  Dr.  Jacob 
Mountain,  on  arriving,  found  in  his  Episcopal 
city  neither  church,  nor  parsonage,  nor  Bish- 


u 


^    :l 

■f. 


CI 

•*l 

i 
■  t 


>» 


34 


IJFK   OF   I^TSTIor    STEWART. 


op's  residence;  four  chaplains  maintained  by 
the  government,  and  five  missionaries  sent 
by  tlie  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the 
Gospel,  constituted  the  whole  clerical  staff  of 
his  Diocese — a  Diocese  in  which  his  first  vis- 
itation extended  over  a  line  of  country  reach- 
ing more  than  twelve  hundred  miles  in  length, 
from  Gasp6  to  Lake  Srie."^ 

o  The  (English)  CJmrchman'a  Magazine. 


>.      II 


\   i 


\dhy 

sent 

the 

iff  of 
vis- 

;ach- 

igth, 


KM. 


Cpjjttr  iavixi\. 


LEAVING  ENGLAND — WHAT  WORLDLY  WISDOM  WOULD  SAT 

HEAVENLY  C0N81DERATI0NB — ARRIVAL  AT  QUEBEC — 

SETTLEMENT  AT  ST.  ARMANI) A  MISSIONARY  WHO  HAD 

GIVEN  TIP  IN  DESPAIR — HIRING  THE  LARGE  ROOM  IN  AN 
INN— FIRST  SERVICES — THE  BALANCE  STRUCK  BETWEEN 
DISCOURAGEMENTS  AND  BETTER  PROSPECTS — REPORT  TO 
THE  SOCIETY — LETTER  TO  HIS  MOTHER — NOTICES  OF 
THE  COUNTRY  AND  PEOPLE — THE  MISSIONARY'S  VIEWS 
AND  FEELINGS — KINDRED  LEFT,  BUT  NOT  FORGOTTEN. 

N  the  seventh  of  August,  1807,  Mr. 
Stewart  sailed  from  England  on  his 
self-denying  mission  to  the  New 
World.  No  doubt  those  who  had 
respect  unto  temporal  dignities  and 
personal  comfort  shook  their  heads, 
saying,  "How  foolish  in  the  son  of  the  Earl 
of  Galloway  thus  to  throw  away  his  fair 
prospects  for  honorable  promotion  at  home !" 
But  the  devoted  clergyman  himself,  who 
had  chosen  the  service  of  a  Heavenly  Master, 


]1 


*r.i 


36 


IJFE   OP   IllSirOr   STKWA.RT. 


.1 


f  \ 

I  H 

i  I 


was  clicorcd,  even  at  the  painful  iiiuineiit  of 
separation  from  all  wlio  were  near  and  deaf 
to  liim  on  earth,  by  the  sanguine  anticipation 
that  he  might  prove  the  instrument,  in  God's 
hands,  of  accomplishing  great  good  for  his 
Church. 

Mr.  Stewart  arrived  at  Quebec  on  the  27th 
of  September,  and  having  spent  a  few  days 
there  and  at  Montreal,  he  set  out  for  his 
mission  at  St.  Armand,  which  he  reached 
towards  the  close  of  October. 

This  station  was  on  the  frontier  between 
Canada  and  the  United  States,  about  seventy 
miles  south-east  of  Montreal. 

Here,  the  Rev.  C.  C.  Cotton,  an  English 
missionary,  had  resided  for  some  years ;  but 
his  success  had  been  so  limited,  that  he  re- 
ported to  the  Society  at  home,  that  the  people 
had  not  even  a  room  set  apart  for  Divine  ser- 
vice; that  they  refused  to  give  anything 
towards  the  support  of  a  clergyman;  and 
that  even  on  Christinas,  when  the  whole 
strength  of  the  congregation  might  be  ex- 


,.^ 


it  of 
Ideaf 
Ltion 
rod's 
his 


nmiNG   LAROK   ROOM   IN   AN   INN. 


37 


pectcd  to  assemble,  there  were  only  six  per- 
sons present,  to  celebrate  the  Saviour's  birth- 
day by  receiving  the  Holy  Communion. 

Mr.  Stewart  reached  this  unpromising 
station  on  Saturday,  and  as  there  was  only 
one  tavern  in  the  village,  he  took  up  his 
lodgings  there.  He  then  asked  the  landlord 
if  he  would  hire  him  a  good-sized  room,  as 
tliere  happened  to  be  one  in  the  house.  The 
good-natured  man,  not  knowing  to  what  pur- 
pose his  guest  proposed  to  put  it,  readily 
agreed  to  do  so.  "Then,"  said  Mr.  Stewart, 
"you  will  please  have  chairs  and  benches 
placed  in  it,  that  we  may  have  service  there 
to-moiTow,  and  I  will  thank  you  to  give  a 
general  notice  to  the  people  of  the  town,  that 
a  clergyman  of  the  Church  of  England  will 
preach  the  Gospel  to  them." 

The  landlord  was  taken  by  surprise,  and 
did  all  he  possibly  could  to  dissuade  the  mis- 
sionary from  his  purpose,  telling  him,  among 
other  things,  that  a  minister  had  come  there 
to  settle,  not  long  before,  but  had  found  every- 

4 


r 


38 


LIFE   OF   BISHOP   STEWART. 


'ii 


'if 


tiling  so  unfavorable,  that  he  had  left  in 
despair. 

"Then,"  replied  Mr.  Stewart,  "this  is  the 
very  place  of  duty  for  me.  Here  I  am  neh:ded, 
and,  by  God's  grace,  here  I  will  remain,  and 
trust  to  Him,  in  whose  hand  are  the  hearts  of 
all  people,  for  success." 

The  various  motives  wliich  lead  people  in 
other  places  to  attend  upon  the  ministrations 
of  a  new  clergyman  brought  out  the  inhabit- 
ants of  St.  Armand  on  this  occasion,  and  for 
several  successive  Sundays  Mr.  Stewart  con- 
tinued to  officiate  in  the  inn.  The  contrast 
must  have  been  very  great,  between  the  dis- 
comforts of  his  mission  and  the  peaceful  re- 
tirement of  his  rural  parish  in  England ;  but 
there  would  be  no  use  in  giving  way  to  re- 
pining, even  had  he  been  disposed  to  do  so. 

Besides,  after  summing  up  all  the  discour- 
agements, tokens  of  coming  day  soon  began 
to  appear  in  the  midst  of  surrounding  dark- 
ness. Tlie  people  seemed  interested,  and  al- 
though a  considerable  proportion  of  the  in- 


I 


LETfER   TO   HIS   MOTHER. 


39 


habitants  were  Baptists  and  Methodists,  they 
were  not  as  hostile  to  the  Church  as  they 
have  sometimes  showed  themselves  to  be  in 
other  places. 

In  the  course  of  a  month,  the  services  were 
celebrated  in  a  small  school-house,  and  not 
long  after,  the  people  had  undertaken  to  build 
a  church,  for  which  a  suitable  lot  had  been 
given. 

Mr.  Stewart  makes  his  first  report  to  the 
Society  in  April,  1808,  and  having  mentioned 
these  evidences  of  success,  he  concludes,  by 
saying,  that  "  with  faith  in  Christ,  and  grat- 
itude to  God  under  the  continuance  of  His 
blessing,  the  mission  may  be  considered  a 
flourishing  one." 

The  following  extracts,  from  a  letter  writ- 
ten to  his  mother,  the  Countess  of  Galloway, 
will  furnish  some  interesting  notices  of  the 
country  and  people,  as  well  as  of  his  own 
viev/s  and  feelings : 

"  St.  Armand,  May  20,  1808. 

"  Of  the  country,  however,  I  shall  say,  that 


\  f 

1.  i 


'^'\ 


40 


LIFE   OF   BISHOP    STEWART. 


it  scarcely  furnishes  the  necessaries  of  life, 
and  that  anything  out  of  it  is  not  easily  got, 
communication  in  it,  and  all  around  it,  being 
YGYj  difficult.  The  people  are  worse  in  ap- 
pearance, or  rather  manner,  than  in  reality 
or  principle.  They  are  very  free  and  rude, 
but  less  profligate  than  in  our  coimtry.  They 
have  all  sorts  of  notions  and  sects  in  religion, 
rather  tlian  being  less  religious  or  more  un- 
cliristian  tlian  our  people  :  far  from  it,  I  find 
sincere  Christians  of  all  denominations ;  and 
no  wonder  they  are  divided,  where  they  have 
no  teachers,  except  Methodists  and  Baptists, 
and  they  very  ignorant.  Many  are  walling  to 
be  instructed  by  me,  and  more  have  been  out 
of  the  way  of,  and  inattentive  to,  true  relig- 
ion, than  adverse  to  it.  In  short,  they  suit 
my  object — of  being  useful  to  them  and  the 
Church  of  Christ — fully  equal  to  my  ex- 
pectations, and  beyond  those  of  almost  every- 
body, fiir  and  near.  But  my  success  and 
happiness  are  summed  up  in  the  assurance 
tluit  God  has  blessed  me  in  all  ray  plans  to  a 


kA 


THE  missionary's    VIEWS   AND   FEELINGS.     41 


/   ^ 


life, 

goty 
ping 
ap- 


great  and  most  evident  degree.  They  have 
been  devoted  as  well  as  subject  to  Ilim  from 
the  beginning,  and  therefore  He  has  sup- 
ported and  made  me  happy  in  them,  so  as 
ever  to  add  to  my  love  and  gratitude  to 
Him.  I  have  sincerely  sought  His  glory 
and  my  reward  and  happiness  in  His  king- 
dom ;  and  in  proportion  as  we  are  devoted 
to  these  inseparable  objects,  we  shall  be 
happy  here  and  hereafter.  In  proportion 
as  our  heart,  and  of  course  our  actions,  are 
set  upon  the  good  of  our  own  souls,  and  of 
those  which  we  can  influence,  we  shall  be 
made  happy  by  God,  and  we  shall  be  com- 
forted by  communion  with  all  saints.  For 
this  is  the  spirit  of  Christ's  religion,  and  is 
one  and  the  same  to  all  His  members;  and 
the  spirit  of  religion,  that  is,  of  God,  only 
profiteth,  for  all  forms  are  merely  auxiliaries 
to  that.  Thank  God  !  tlie  opportunities  and 
rewards  I  have  had  in  these  respects  make 
it  a  duty  and  a  comfort  to  you,  as  well 
as    myselfj  I    trust,    to    mention    them    to 


< .',. 


42 


LIFE   OF  BISHOP   STEWART. 


you.  I  never  was  so  much  engaged  in  the 
exercises  of  religion  as  I  have  been  since  I 
came  to  St.  Armand,  and  I  never  was  hap- 
pier  Again,  money  is  so  very 

scarce  here  that  I  exercise  charity  to  great 
advantage  in  some  respects  ;  and  it  is  a  duty 
incumbent  on  all  but  the  poorest,  and  very 
delightful  to  every  religious  person.  How 
grateful  ought  we  to  be  to  God  for  granting 
us  superfluities,  and  enabling  us  to  exercise 
our  love  to  Him  in  serving  His  poor  crea- 
tures, and  our  fellow-creatures !  What  an 
encouragement  and  future  reward  have  we  in 
Christ's  promise,  that  any  kindness  done  for 
His  sake,  to  any  of  His  disciples,  will  be 
accepted  by  Him  as  if  done  unto  Himself! 
Such  charity  or  mercy  may  justly  hope  for 
greater  mercy  in  the  day  of  judgment.  I 
have  persuaded  the  people  here  to  build  a 
church,  and  it  will  be  fit  for  Divine  service 
to  be  performed  in  it  before  next  winter.  I 
have  assisted  the  subscription  in  several 
ways.     So  you  see  1  am  very  busy,  but  it 


i 


ri 


the 
!e  I 
tap- 

fery 
•eat 

ery 


KINDRED   LEFT,    BUT   NOT   FORGOTTEN.         43 

is  for  the  sake  of  God  and  of  heaven  ;  and 
there,  and  with  Him,  are  my  chief  treasure 
and  happiness.  And  so  does  He  bless  me, 
that  His  Gospel  (Mark  x.  29,  30)  is  in  a 
manner  realized  to  me ;  and  I  could  some- 
times almost  say  with  Jesus,  that  every  faith- 
ful Christian  '  is  my  brother,  and  sister,  and 
mother.'  Yet  is  my  affection  for  you  and 
my  dearest  relations  increased." 


'  rlfl 

m 


a 


«u,«/in- 


Cljajtu  iiU\. 


A 


OPENING  A  NEW  CHURCH — SIXTY  CONFIRMED — WHEN  A 
CLERGYMAN  OUGHT  TO  BE  RICH — GRAPHIC  PICTURE, 
FROM  AN  EYE-WITNESS — MR.  HENSHAW — THE  CHOSEN 
ABODE  OF  A  NOBLEMAN's  SON — DEADNESS  TO  WORLDLY 
POMPS  AND  VANITIES — TREASURES  OF  WISDOM  SOUGHT 
AFTER — NOT  HANDSOME,  BUT  GOOD — THE  MISSIONARY 
STORY  OF  WHAT   HE  HAD   EXPERIENCED  IN  HIS   LABORS 

— GOING  FORTH  IN  THE  STRENGTH  OF  OUR  LORD  GOD 

*'  WHAT  HATH  GOD  WROUGHT  I" 

N  January,  1 809,  Mr.  Stewart  had  the 
^)  pleasure  of  opening  his  church  at 
^^^  Frelighsburg,  in  the  eastern  part  of 
the  seigniory  of  St.  Armand,  and  a 
thousand  persons  were  present  to 
share  the  satisfaction  -^vith  him. 
When  the  Bishop  of  Quebec  visited  the 
parish,  during  the  summer  of  the  same  year, 
he  confirmed  sixty  persons. 

Two  years  later  (1811)  another  new  church 
was  opened  for  Divine  service  in  the  western 
part  of  Mr.  Stewart's  missionary  field,  which 
had  been  built  at  an  expense  of  four  thou- 


GKAPHIO   PICTUBK. 


45 


^      'I 


sand  dollars ;  two  fifths  of  the  cost  of  the  two 
churches  was  borne  by  the  minister  himself. 

It  is  a  good  thing  for  a  clergyman  to  be 
possessed  of  wealth  when  he  knows  so  well 
how  to  use  it  to  advantage.  The  descrip- 
tions of  an  eye-witness  are  always  to  be 
preferred  to  those  of  one  who  obtains  his 
impressions  second-hand  ;  and  I  am  most 
happy  to  be  able  to  present  a  graphic  pic- 
ture here,  sketched  by  the  late  Bishop  Hen- 
shaw,  of  Rhode  Island.  In  his  youth  (as 
those  will  remember  who  are  familiar  with 
his  history)  he  was  doing  good  service  for 
the  Church  as  a  lay-reader,  in  the  northern 
parts  of  New  England,  before  he  had  readied 
the  canonical  age  for  admission  to  the  holy 
ministry.  During  this  period  he  became  ac- 
quainted with  Mr.  Stewart. 

I  stop,  with  pleasure,  to  allow  him  to 
speak  of  this  in  his  own  peculiar  way  :* 


<*  For  further  particulars  concerning  the  intimacy  be- 
tween these  two  good  men,  the  reader  is  referred  to  the 
Life  of  Bishop  Henshaw,  in  this  series. 


I 


^ii 


?ii/^ 


46 


LIFE   OF   BISIIOI*   STEWART. 


-t  i 


•ii 
it! 

I 


•.i<    ' 


"It  was  late  in  December,  1811,  when  I 
was  a  youth  of  nineteen,  recently  graduated 
at  one  of  our  Northern  universities,  that,  in 
compliance  with  the  urgent  invitation  of 
Mr.  Stewart,  I  went  to  aid  him,  by  perform- 
ing such  missionary  services  on  the  frontier 
of  Vermont,  as  a  candidate  for  orders  li- 
censed by  the  Bishop  might  lawfully  be 
engaged  in.  On  arriving  at  his  residence, 
I  found  no  splendid  or  showy  mansion ;  but 
a  low,  unpretending,  one-story  frame  house 
was  the  chosen  abode  of  this  member  of  one 
of  the  noblest  families  of  Great  Britain.  It 
was  placed  on  the  brow  of  a  lofty  hill,  at 
the  foot  of  which  lay  the  village  of  St.  Ar- 
mand,  whose  principal  ornaments  were  the 
school-house,  where  the  children  of  the  vil- 
lagers and  the  farmers  of  the  neighboring 
country  might  be  instructed  in  the  wisdom 
which  would  be  useful  to  them  on  earth  ; 
and  the  church  whose  simple  spire  pointed 
to  the  heavens,  both  monuments  of  the  be- 
nevolent zeal  of  the  missionary.    The  view 


I)KAT>NrS8   TO   WOELDLT  VANITIES. 


47 


I 

d 

P 
f 


I 


from  the  par:onage  was  extensive,  tliongh 
bounded  on  every  side  by  the  wide-spread 
forests  of  a  new  country,  and  w^as  well 
adapted  to  the  taste  of  one  who  had  a  heart 
capable  of  being  incited  to  devotion  and 
communion  with  the  Deity  by  the  contem- 
plation of  His  works.  The  arrangements  of 
the  interior  of  this  peaceful  mansion  were  iu 
perfect  keeping  v/ith  the  plainness  of  its  ex- 
terior. Everything  indicated  the  presence 
of  a  mind  dead  to  the  pomps  and  vanities 
of  the  world ;  the  pervading  influence  of  a 
spirit  so  filled  with  the  love  of  Christ,  that  it 
could  cheerfully  sacrifice  luxuries,  and  even 
be  indifferent  to  comforts,  if,  by  so  doing,  it 
might  better  enjoy  tlie  sweet  luxury  of  doing 
good.  'Tlie  outer  door  opened  into  an  apart- 
ment which  served  the  double  purpose  of 
parlor  and  dining-room.  The  only  furniture 
was  a  plain  deal  table,  and  a  few  wooden  or 
rush-bottom  chairs,  together  with  a  large 
chest,  which  served  as  a  depository  of  Bibles, 
Prayer-books,  and  tracts  for  distribution,  and 


I 


iii^^ 


48 


LIFE    OF   BTSFIOP   STEAVAUT. 


wliich,  wlien  the  number  of  guests  was  great* 
er  than  that  of  the  chairs,  was  drawn  out 
and  used  as  a  bench  on  one  side  of  the  table. 
Tlie  meals  spread  on  this  board  were  frugal 
but  abundant,  and  were  always  rendered 
pleasant  by  the  amiable  cheerfulness  of  the 
host,  who,  having  no  inmates  in  his  bachelor 
establishment  but  a  sorvant-man  and  maid, 
was  obliged  to  depend  on  his  own  unaided 
resources  for  entertainment  of  his  guests. 

''  On  the  left  of  the  room  already  de- 
scribed was  the  study,  which,  though  of 
smaller  size,  was  furnished  with  the  same 
strict  simplicity.  Here,  also,  was  a  plain 
table  and  desk,  with  tw^o  chairs,  while  around 
the  sides  of  the  room,  on  common  shelves, 
were  arranged  the  theological  books,  and  the 
few  volumes  in  general  literature,  which 
constituted  the  scanty  library.  In  this 
small  and  retired  room  he  searched  for  the 
treasures  of  Divine  wisdom  in  the  sacred 
Scriptures,  perused  the  works  of  the  wise 
and  good,  who  had  been  burning  and  shining 


s 


.U' 


NOT   HANDSOME,    BUT   GOOD. 


49 


lights  in  the  Church  of  former  days,  and, 
above  all,  held  high  communion  with  the 
Great  Teacher,  and  sought  for  that  '  unction 
from  the  Holy  One'  which  would  qualify 
him  for  the  successful  prosecution  of  his  ar- 
duous work. 

"  From  this  sacred  retreat  he  came  forth 
to  bid  me  welcome  on  my  arrival.  He  was 
a  man  of  about  the  age  of  forty,  as  I  sup- 
pose, and  yet  apparently  much  farther  ad- 
vanced in  the  vale  of  years  ;  his  frame 
robust,  but  prone  and  slightly  bent,  with 
small  but  keen  grey  eyes,  a  Roman  nose, 
more  pointed  and  hooked  than  ordinary,  a 
mouth  partially  opened,  with  irregular  and 
projecting  teeth,  never  fully  covered  by  the 
lips ;  hair  of  a  bluish  cast  (of  which  I  never 
saw  the  like,  except  in  a  lady  in  the  same 
family,  with  whom  I  afterwards  became  ac- 
quainted), in  thick,  bushy  locks,  profusely 
covering  the  shoulders,  and  lightly  sprinkled 
with  powder,  giving  it  the  appearance  of  a 
large   grey  wig.      His    limbs    were    badly 


■  '4 


^m 


W- 


50 


LIFE   OF   r>TSlK)r   STEWART. 


formed,  his  earria^o  extremely  awkward,  the 
expression  of  liis  eountenance  void  of  intelli- 
genee,  and  the  tout  enHemhle  most  ungainly 
and  forbidding.  Bnt  the  nnpleasant  feelings 
(connected  with  the  disappointment  of  a  first 
view  were  soon  removed  by  the  benevolence 
of  his  manners,  and  tlie  kindness  and  friend- 
liness of  his  commnnications. 

"  l\\  answer  to  an  inqniry  with  respect  to 
the  success  of  his  labors,  he  replied,  as  nearly 
as  I  can  recollect,  in  the  following  terms : 
'  When  I  came  to  this  seigniory,  six  years 
ago,  there  was  no  place  of  worship,  and  no 
minister  of  religion,  throughout  this  whole 
region  of  country.  The  entire  population, 
with  a  few  exceptions,  was  of  the  most 
worthless  character.  Freed  from  the  re- 
straints of  morality  and  religion,  many  of 
them  gloried  in  their  shame,  and  looked 
with  suspidon  and  dread  upon  every  at- 
tempt that  was  made  to  introduce  among 
them  the  light  and  influences  of  the  Gospel 
of   Christ.     On    my  first    arrival   here,  so 


I 


TIIK   MISSIONARY  8   PTORY. 


51 


I,  the 

^elli- 
Linly 
liiiiTS 
first 
[erice 
icnd- 

ct  to 
3arly 
•1118 ; 

ears 
1  no 
^liole 
tion, 
most 

re- 
'  of 
>ked 

at- 
oiig 
spel 

so 


Btroiig  and  general  was  the  opposition  to 
my  settlement,  that  I  was  almost  on  the 
jioint  of  abandoning  the  field  in  despair, 
when  I  met  with  a  Preshyterian  lady,  an 
emigrant  from  tlie  United  States,  who  re- 
joieed  at  seeing  a  messenger  of  salvation, 
and  for  the  love  of  Christ  hade  me  welcome 
to  her  habitation.  On  the  first  occasion  of 
my  ofiieiating  as  a  missionary,  in  the  only 
school-house  then  erected  in  the  neighbor- 
hood, but  a  few  were  present,  and  they  in 
consequence  of  earnest  solicitation ;  and  of 
this  small  number,  one  of  the  oldest,  a  be- 
liever in  the  universal  salvation,  made  a 
rude  and  violent  assault  upon  my  labors  and 
the  doctrine  which  I  advanced.  This  begin- 
ning, trying  as  it  was,  not  only  to  "  flesh  and 
blood,"  but  to  faith  also,  only  served  as  a 
stimulus  to  more  zealous  exertions — exer- 
tions in  dependence  on  the  blessing  of  Ilim 
who  hath  promised,  "  My  word  shall  not 
return  unto  me  void,  but  it  shall  accomplibh 
that  which  I  please,  and  it  shall  prosper  in 


f 


y  ?1 


ij 


%. 


n 


62 


LIFE   OF    BI>;iIOP    STEW^VRT. 


the  tiling  whereto  I  have  sent  it."  Isaiah  Iv. 
11.  In  the  strength  of  the  Lord  God  I  went 
forth,  and  in  His  strength  I  conquered.  By 
diligent  visiting  of  the  scattered  families  in 
the  settlement,  and  by  those  acts  of  kindness 
and  charity  to  the  poor  which  my  fortune 
enabled  me  to  perform,  I  gradually  found 
access  to  the  hearts  of  the  people,  without 
weariness  or  suspicion,  "in  season  and  out 
of  season ;"  in  the  assemblies  on  tlie  Sab- 
bath, and  in  social  meetings  during  the  week, 
from  house  to  house,  "  I  ceased  not  to  preach 
repentance  towards  God,  and  faith  towards 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  The  blessing  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  accompanied  my  humble  labors. 
A  general  reformation  took  place  in  public 
morals,  and  now  two  churches — one  here, 
and  another  at  Missisquoi  Bay — are  filled 
with  devoted  worshipj^ers.  When  I  look 
upon  the  change,  my  heart  is  filled  with  joy, 
and  I  exclaim,  with  admiration  and  grati- 
tude, "  What  hath  God  wrought !" '  "* 

o  Christian  Keepsake  (1840),  p,  47. 


^v^ 


ih  Iv. 
went 

By 

les  in 
dness 
rtiine 
found 
tliout 
out 
Sab- 
week, 
►reacli 
wards 
)f  the 
ibors. 
mblic 
here, 
filled 
look 

^rati- 


(S^\^UX  ^ht\. 


A  MODEST  MAN'S  ACCOUNT  OF  HIS  LABORS — THE  HALF 
NOT  TOLD — THE  TRUSTY  AGENT  IN  HIS  ONE-HORSE 
SLEIGH — TRUE  IDEA  OF  THE  MINISTRY — TOO  NOBLEi 
A  SPIRIT  TO  BE  INFLUENCED  BY  NATIONAL  PREJU- 
DICE— LABORS    IN  NEW    ENGLAND GOODLY   GIFT   TO  A 


POOR    WIDOW- 


u 


THAT    BEST    OF    MEN,    THE    MINISTER 


v'> 


OF  ST.  ARM  AND" — SITTING  ON  A  BLOCK  OF  WOOD, 
AND  TALKING  OF  HEAVENLY  GLORIES — PRAYING  FOB 
THE  KING,  BY  MISTAKE — FAITHFUL  FUNERAL  SERVICES 
— SUBLIME  EXAMPLE  OF  MINISTERIAL  FIDELITY — DIS- 
PUTES AND  WARS — 1812 — BURNING  OF  WASHINGTON 
— TRYING  TIMES — HORRORS  OF  WAR  —  TREATY  OP 
PEACE — AND   A   THANKSGIVING. 

F  we  relied  merely  on  Mr.  Stewart's 
fP  modest  accoimt  of   his  own  labors, 
and  had  no  information  from  other 
sources,  we  should  have  a  very  inad- 
equate conception  of  their  extent  or 
importance. 
Not  only  was  he  most  faithful  in  preach- 
ing the  Gospel  in  the  district  which  consti- 

6^ 


'-''^i 

*! 

( 


54 


LIFE   OF  BISHOP   STEWAKT. 


i^; 


tuted  his  peculiar  missionary  field,  but  often- 
times he  braved  the  peltings  of  the  storm, 
and  the  intense  cold  of  a  Canadian  winter, 
that  he  might  bear  to  some  distant  and  deso- 
late hamlet  the  message  of  redeeming  love. 

Wrapped  in  his  bufi'alo  robes,  and  mount- 
ed in  his  one-horse  sleigh,  one  might  imagine 
the  earnest  man  to  be  the  trusty  agent  of  a 
great  king,  carrying  despatches  to  a  far-oflf 
station,  and  intent  upon  business  involving 
life  and  death.  And  surely  such  an  im- 
pression would  have  been  most  just  and  true. 

Is  not  every  faithful  minister  of  the  Gos- 
pel an  ambassador  from  the  King  of  Heaven  ? 
and  is  not  his  errand  the  most  important 
with  which  man  can  be  entrusted  ? 

Mr.  Stewart's  spirit  was  far  too  noble  to 
be  hampered  by  such  narrow  prejudices  as 
national  distinctions  are  accustomed  to  pro- 
duce. He  felt  an  anxious  desire  to  bring 
home  the  wandering  sheep  of  Christ,  whether 
they  were  to  be  found  in  Canada  or  in  the 
territories  of  the  United  States ;  and  he  often 


I 


THE   MINISTER   OF   ST.    AEMAND. 


55 


)ften- 
Itorm, 
[inter, 

cleso- 

)ve. 
lount- 
lagine 
'j  of  a 
ar-ofl' 
living 
n  im- 
i  true. 
3  Gos- 

AVEN  ? 

ortant 

ble  to 
ces  as 
o  pro- 
bring 
liether 
in  tlio 
J  often 


L 


Visited  tlie  frontier  towns  of  New  England, 
discharging  the  duties  of  his  holy  office  with 
a  zeal  and  devotion  not  unworthy  of  apostolic 
days. 

"Throughout  the  extensive  sphere  of  his 
missionary  labors  he  was  known  and  be- 
loved by  the  faithful  followers  of  Christ  of 
every  name.  Many  a  widow's  heart  would 
leap  for  joy,  when,  on  pointing  to  the  val- 
uable cow  which  furnished  nourishment  for 
her  numerous  family,  she  would  say,  *  That 
was  presented  to  me  by  good  Mr.  Stewart !' 
or,  patting  the  head  of  her  little  flaxen- 
haired  boy,  she  would  exclaim,  '  He  is  sent 
to  school  by  that  best  of  men,  the  minister  at 
St.  Armand !' " 

None  could  know  him  without  being  sat- 
isfied that  he  loved  to  do  good ;  that  it  was 
better  to  him  than  his  meat  or  drink.  Be- 
nevolence seemed  to  be  the  very  element  in 
which  he  lived  and  moved.  In  strict  alli- 
ance with  this,  there  was  a  guileless  sim- 
plicity  and  unaffected  humility,  which  at- 


41 

II:: 


m 


[:^ 


^l 


.  ..J£ 


'^^ 


56 


LIFE   OF  BISnOP   STEW4KT. 


■    / 


tracted  the  affection  and  confidence  of  the 
most  casual  acquaintance.  He  seemed  to 
consider  himself  as  the  least  of  all,  and  the 
servant  of  all.  He  would  freely  condescend 
to  be  not  only  the  instructor,  but  the  famil- 
iar companion  of  the  virtuous  in  the  hum- 
blest stations  of  life.  As  an  illustration  to 
this,  I  well  recollect  hearing  a  very  poor, 
but  intelligent  and  pious  woman  express  her 
grateful  surprise  that  Mr.  Stewart  would 
sometimes  call  at  her  log  hut,  and,  seated  on 
a  block  of  wood  which  poverty  compelled 
her  to  use  as  a  substitute  for  a  chair,  would 
converse  with  her  upon  the  holy  themes  of 
religion  as  freely  and  kindly  as  though  she 
had  been  the  finest  lady  in  the  land. 

As  an  instance  of  his  frankness  and  be- 
nignity, the  following  incident  is  worthy  of 
notice  :  On  one  occasion  of  his  officiating  on 
this  side  of  the  line,  he  inadvertently  used 
the  prayer  for  the  king  and  royal  family,  to 
the  annoyance  of  the  patriotic  feelings  of  his 
republican   auditors.     But  on   the   circum- 


FAITHFUL   FUNERAL   8EKVICES. 


57 


stance  being  mentioned  to  him  before  the 
close  of  the  service,  he  said  to  the  congrega- 
tion, "  My  friends,  I  entirely  forgot  that  I 
was  out  of  his  majesty's  dominions.  Come, 
let  us  pray  for  the  President  of  the  United 
States ;"  and  then  offered  up  with  great  fer- 
vency the  collect  in  our  daily  service  for  the 
chief  magistrate  and  all  others  in  authority. 

The  simplicity  and  meekness  of  his  char- 
acter, however,  did  not  prevent  him  from 
exercising  the  most  rigid  faithfulness  in  the 
ministry  of  the  word  and  the  performance 
of  his  parochial  duties.  I  remember  that 
one  of  the  most  wealthy  of  his  parishioners 
lost  a  son,  who  died  at  about  the  age  of 
twenty,  in  the  city  of  Montreal.  The  parents 
were  not  pious;  but  their  son,  during  his 
absence  from  home,  had  become  a  follower 
of  Jesus,  and  died  in  the  hope  of  the  Gospel. 
In  preaching  a  sermon  occasioned  by  this 
event,  the  man  of  God,  with  a  holy  boldness 
which  perhaps  it  would  not  have  been  safe 
for  a  minister  holding  a  different  relation  to 


.■4    'v' 


ipf! 


.)  m 


68 


LIFE   OF   BISHOP   STEWART. 


his  people  to  assume,  addressing  himself  di- 
rectly to  the  afflicted  jDarents,  said,  'You 
grieve  for  the  death  of  your  child ;  it  is  right 
that  human  nature  should  feel  a  pang  of  sor- 
row at  such  a  bereavement.  But  you  should 
adore  the  good  providence  of  God  by  which 
he  was  placed  in  a  pious  family,  where  he 
enjoyed  the  benefit  of  domestic  worship  and 
religious  instruction,  which  were  blessed  to 
the  conversion  of  his  soul.  Had  he  re- 
mained at  home,  he  would  have  been  denied 
those  privileges,  and  most  probably  would 
have  lived  careless  and  unconcerned  like 
yourselves,  and  have  died  without  consola- 
tion and  hope!'  What  a  sublime  example 
of  ministerial  fidelity  was  this  !" 

The  angry  disputes  and  bloody  wars  in 
which  nations  are  not  unfrequently  engaged, 
prove  a  sad  hindrance  to  the  labors  of  the 
ministers  of  Christ.  In  1812,  and  for  some 
time  afterwards,  a  contest  was  going  on  be- 
tween England  and  the  United  States  which 
aroused  very  bitter  feelings  in  the  breasts  of 


i 


HOERORS    OF    WAR. 


59 


i 


many  on  both  sides.  Indeed,  after  that  wan- 
ton act  of  petty  malice — the  burning  of  our 
national  Capitol — these  hostile  feelings  seem 
to  have  been  more  intense  than  at  any  period 
during  the  great  struggle  for  Independence. 

We  of  this  generation  ought  to  remember, 
however,  that  the  destruction  of  Washington 
was  not  approved  of  by  the  British  govern- 
ment, and  that  nowhere  has  stronger  lan- 
guage been  employed  in  condemnation  of  it 
than  by  the  English  press. 

Mr.  Stewart  found  liimself  placed  in  most 
awkward  and  trying  circumstances  during 
the  continuance  of  this  unfortunate  war. 

The  frontier  settlements  of  Canada  were 
kept  in  a  constant  state  of  agitation  and 
alarm.  No  one  knew  at  what  moment  the 
American  troops  might  cross  the  borders  and 
make  an  assault  upon  them.  Many  families 
quitted  the  province.  Mr.  Stewart's  parish- 
ioners, among  the  rest,  were  called  out  to 
take  arms  and  join  in  the  contest. 

0  the  horrors  of  war !     May  the  blessed 


'ii^f 


'I 

■I 


II 


4 

f  i 


m 


.ft  51 


60 


LIFE   OF  UlSIIOr   STEWART. 


reign  of  the  Prince  of  Peace  be  extended 
throughout  the  earth,  that  the  nations  who 
have  so  often  imbrued  their  hands  in  blood 
may  learn  war  no  more. 

Tlie  faithful  missionary  continued  to  hold 
his  ground  during  all  this  trying  period,  and 
many  casualties  occurred  which  he  was  en- 
abled to  turn  to  good  account. 

At  last,  in  December,  1814,  a  treaty  of 
peace  was  signed,  and  a  day  of  general 
thanksgiving  was  observed  throughout  Can- 
ada, in  which  no  one  joined  more  heartily 
than  the  good  clergyman  of  St.  Armand, 
When,  humbly  on  our  knees,  in  the  house  of 
God,  we  pour  forth  the  earnest  supplication, 
"  That  it  may  please  Thee  to  give  to  all  na- 
tions unity,  peace,  and  concord,"  what  de- 
vout heart  wdll  not  gladly  respond,  "  We 
beseech  Thee  to  hear  us,  Good  Lord  ?" 


€\^Ux  ^tb«nt|. 


A  VISIT  HOME,  AFTER  YEARS  OP  ABSENCE — THE  MISSION" 
NOT  FORGOTTEN — A  WORTFIY  801IOOLMAHTER  RAISED 
TO  A  NEW  DIGNITY — INTERESTING  REMINISCENCES — A 
GARMENT  OF  HUMILITY — SELF-DENIALS — EXPENDITURE 
OF  SURPLUS  MEANS — DR.  CHALMERS'  RULE  CARRIED  OUT 
— FRUITS  OF  FAITHFULNESS — STATED  TIMES  OF  FASTING 
AND  PRAYER FRIDAY  WELL  SPENT — CARRYING  PRES- 
ENTS—  PUBLISHES   A    BOOK    OF    FAMILY    DEVOTIONS 

EDUCATION   OF_  THE   POOR — LIBERALITY — ATTENTIONS 
AND  HONORS — THE  TRUE  ESTIMATE  OF  GREATNESS. 

1^  1815,  wlien  peace  and  harmony  be- 
^  tween  England  and  America  were  re- 
stored, Mr.  Stewart  left  his  mission  for 
a  while,  in  order  to  visit  his  venerable 
mother  once  more  before  her  death. 
He  also  determined  to  avail  himself 
of  this  favorable  opportunity  to  make  known 
the  wants  of  Canada  to  his  liberal  Christian 
brethren  in  England,  and  to  collect  what 
money  he  could  for  the  building  of  churches 

6 


':il 
^■"/i 


m 


62 


LIFE   OF   BTSIIOP   STEWART. 


in  the  poorer  settlements.  Tliis  object  was 
one  which  so  readily  commended  itself  to  the 
notice  of  all,  that  two  thousand  pounds  (about 
ten  thousand  dollars  of  our  currency)  were 
easily  secured,  and  aid  was  thus  afforded 
towards  the  erection  of  twenty-four  churches 
in  different  parts  of  the  province. 

I  ought  to  have  mentioned  that  before  Mr. 
Stewart  sailed  for  liis  native  land,  he  took 
every  care  to  leave  the  affairs  of  his  mission 
in  safe  hands. 

A  good  and  devout  man,  Mr.  James  Eeid, 
had,  for  a  long  while,  been  acting  as  a  school- 
master under  his  direction;  and  it  occuri'ed 
to  Mr.  Stewart  that  the  usefulness  of  his 
humble  friend  might  be  much  extended  by 
his  admission  to  the  holy  ministry.  Accord- 
ingly, the  schoolmaster  was  encouraged  to 
devote  his  spare  hours  to  the  study  of  Theol- 
ogy, and  he  was  finally  ordained  by  the 
Bishop  of  Quebec. 

As  Mr.  Eeid  was  well  acquainted  with  the 
people  of  St.  Armand,  and  had  been  accus- 


a 


«v  i 


SELF-DENTALS. 


63 


Iwas 
the 

►out 
ere 

•ded 
Relies 

Mr. 

took 
issioii 

eid, 
ihool- 
uri'ed 
f  his 
dby 
cord- 
ed to 
'heol- 

the 

.1  the 
ecus- 


I 


tomed  to  Mr.  Stewart's  mode  of  conducting 
the  mission,  he  was  much  better  qualified 
than  a  stranger  could  possibly  be  to  occupy 
the  field  during  his  absence.  This  arrange- 
ment was  therefore  most  properly  made. 

And  now,  while  the  devoted  missionary  is 
absent,  we  shall  avail  ourselves  of  this  occa- 
sion to  give  the  schoolmaster's  interesting 
recollections  of  his  distinguished  predecessor. 

"He  was,"  says  Mr.  Reid,  "clothed  with 
humility  as  with  a  garment."  This  humility 
was  manifested  not  only  in  his  intercourse 
with  people  of  all  classes,  but  also  in  his  plain 
and  self-denying  mode  of  life.  With  an  in- 
dependent fortune,  which  would  have  com- 
manded many  of  the  luxuries  and  elegancies 
of  the  world,  he  lavished  nothing  on  selfish 
indulgence ;  and  what  remained  of  his  income, 
after  providing  for  his  own  very  moderate 
wants,  he  devoted  to  the  great  purposes  of 
education,  religion,  and  the  relief  of  the  poor. 
He  never  hoarded  money;  but  whenever  a 
fiui^lus  remained  at  the  end  of  the  year,  he 


:i 


64 


LIFE   OF   BISIIOr   STEWART. 


looked   out  for    some   deserving  object   on 
which  it  could  he  usefully  expended. 

As  a  missionary,  Tie  considered  himself  a 
soldier  of  Cittitst,  sworn  to  be  ready  at  every 
call  of  duty.     He  did  not,  however,  wait  for 
special  calls;  but  was  ever  on  the  alert,  seek 
ing  out  cases  of  spiritual  or  bodily  distress, 
and  applying  to  them  the  suitable  relief.     It 
was  a  special  rule  with  him,  when  he  missed 
any  of  his  congregation  from  church,  to  in- 
quire at  their  own  homes  into  the  cause  of  ab- 
sence, and  thus  to  make  an  occasion  for  exer- 
cising some  part  of  his  functions  by  adminis- 
tering rebuke,  counsel,  or  consolation.    Acting 
consistently  on  the  principle  which  has  been 
pithily  expressed  by  Dr.  Chalmers,  that  "a 
house-going  minister  makes   a  church-going 
people,"  he  never  allowed  distance,  or  the 
severity  of  the  climate,  or  the  state  of  the 
roads,  always  bad  in  the  spring  and  autumn, 
to  deter  him  from  visiting  the  sick  or  suffering 
members  of  his  widely  scattered  flock.     He 
always  kept  a  chest  of  medicines,  but  never, 


J' RID  AY    WKLL    STENT. 


65 


on 

If  a 

ery 
tfor 
eek 
ress, 
It 
lissed 
|o  in- 
)fab- 
exer- 
tiinis- 
cting 
been 
.t  ''b. 
:oing 
•  tlie 
the 
linn, 
iring 
He 
ivei\ 


it  is  said,  [)ros(u-il)e(l.  The  efFect  of  siicli  a 
devoted  and  alleetionate  ministry  was  to  win 
many  to  the  Clinrch;  and  Mr.  Reid  testitics 
that,  in  1812,  only  live  years  after  Mr.  Stew- 
art went  to  reside  at  St.  Arniand,  crowds  of 
persons  were  to  be  seen  eacli  Snnday  making 
their  way  from  every  townsliip  and  clearing 
within  a  considerable  circuit  to  the  mission 
church.  "Many,"  says  Mr.  Ileid,  "attribute 
their  first  religious  impressions  to  him;  and 
many  of  the  children  whom  he  baptized 
were  called  by  his  name,  in  token  of  the  love 
and  veneration  which  were  borne  to  him  by 
tlieir  parents.  To  many,  indeed,  he  acted  as 
a  godfather;  of  these  he  kept  a  list,  and  made 
it  his  special  duty  to  pray  for  them  at  stated 
times,  especially  on  his  days  of  solemn  fasting 
and  prayer."  He  wg,8  in  the  habit  of  devoting 
every  Friday,  when  he  was  at  home,  or  re- 
maining stationary  for  a  week  or  fortnight 
in  one  place,  to  the  religious  exercises  which 
are  enjoined  by  the  Church.  When  he  went 
on  his  circuits  from  time  to  time,  he  carried 

6* 


1 


•A 


i^i^,. 


66 


LIFE    OF   B7STI0P    STEAVART. 


presents  of  religious  and  instructive  books, 
adapted  to  the  circumstances  and  capacity 
of  his  god-children  and  others,  and  accom- 
panied his  gift  witli  advice  suitable  to  each 
case.  Many  of  the  Bibles,  Prayer-books, 
and  devotional  tracts  so  given  are  still  treas- 
ured up  as  memorials  of  the  good  Bishop, 
who  moreover  compiled  a  volume  of  Family 
and  Private  Prayers,  which  was  presented  to 
every  family  of  his  two  congregations  at  St. 
Armand.  He  was  a  zealous  promoter  of  the 
education  of  the  poor,  and  maintained  one 
or  two  children  at  each  of  the  schools  within 
his  mission.  As  a  proof  of  his  lil)erality  in 
this  matter,  it  may  be  mentioned  that  his  ac- 
count for  the  board  and  education  of  poor 
children,  during  his  absence  in  England,  from 
1815  to  1817,  amounted  to  £100." 

During  Mr.  Stewart's  visit  to  England, 
besides  the  satisfaction  of  visiting  liis  kindred, 
and  makins:  collections  for  Chiircli  missions 
in  Canada,  it  must  have  been  gratifying  to 
him  to  find  that  his  zealous  labors  were  duly 


:s, 


'J 

LS- 

l7 
to 

ISt. 


1 


TRUE  p:stimate  of  greatness. 


67 


appreciated.  Mueli  attention  was  shown  him, 
and  he  was  honored  with  the  degree  of  Doctor 
of  Divinity. 

This  degree  is  conferred  with  so  little  dis- 
crimination and  judgment  hy  many  of  the 
Colleges  in  our  own  country,  that  with  us  it 
is  scarcely  regarded  as  an  honor  at  all.  In 
England,  the  case  is  quite  different.  There, 
no  one  receives  the  title  of  Doctor  of  Divinity 
whose  ripe  scholarship  or  high  standing  does 
not  entitle  him  to  such  a  distinction. 

Now,  although  no  one  who  knew  him  ever 
pretended  that  Mr.  Stewart's  mind  was  either 
brilliant  or  profound,  he  was  a  good  scholar, 
and  was  always  remarkable  for  his  strong 
common  sense,  which  is  worth  much  more 
than  more  showy  gifts.  The  proof  of  our  abil- 
ities is  in  what  we  actually  accomplish.  Mr. 
Stewart  was  noi  distinguished  as  one  wliose 
genius  astonished,  and  wliose  eloc|uence 
charmed  the  world;  but  few  men  have  ever 
been  more  successful  in  their  ministry  than 
the  missionary  of  St.  Armand. 


.m 

m 


f  E 


Ml 


¥ 


3 


-#f,, 


1'l 


^ni^Ut  €W\. 


EETUBN  TO  CANADA — HOW  MR.  REID  HAD  BEEN  GETTING 

ALONG ANOTHER   EVIDENCE   OF   HUMILITY — REMOVAL 

TO  HATLEY — A  VISIT  FROM  A  FRIEND,  WHO  REPORTS 
WHAT  HE  SAW — THE  GARRET  AND  THE  LADDER — "  HE 
WAS  SO  prompt" — BOOTS  SHINING  TOO  NICELY — DESE- 
CRATION  OF   SUNDAY — PAYING   A   MAN  FOR   GOING   TO 

CHURCH — STYLE   OF   LODGING SALT  AND   POTATOES 

LITTLE  TIME  WASTED  IN  SLEEP. 

E.  STEWAET  returned  to  Canada 
in  November,  1817.  During  his  ab- 
sence, Mr.  Reid,  whom  he  had  left 
in  charge  of  his  stations  in  the  dis- 
trict of  St.  Armand,  had  devoted 
himself  most  diligently  to  his  duties, 
and  the  results  showed  that  he  was  a  work- 
man who  needed  not  to  be  ashamed.  Tlie 
people  respected  and  loved  him,  and  the  con- 
gregations continued  to  increase. 

Dr.  Stewart  was  highly  gratified  to  find 
that  no  evil  consequences  had  grown  out  of 


j 


A   VISIT   FROM   A   FRIEND. 


69 


his  long  absence,  and  insisted,  with  his  ac- 
customed humility,  that  Mr.  Reid  should  re- 
main at  St.  Armand,  while  he  himself  entered 
upon  a  new  field.  He  accordingly  transferred 
his  services  to  a  neglected  district  named 
Ilatley,  where  he  continued  for  a  year. 

The  present  Bishop  of  Quebec  (at  that  time 
the  Rev.  George  J.  Mountain)  gives  the  fol- 
lowing interesting  account  of  a  long  visit 
which  he  made  to  Dr.  Stewart  at  Ilatley : 

"My  father  (the  Bishop  of  Quebec)  was  in 
England  upon  Church  matters  at  the  time, 
and  I  went  into  the  eastern  townships,  at  the 
desire  of  the  late  Duke  of  Richmond,  then 
our  governor-in-chief,  who  was  new  in  the 
country,  and  wished  to  collect  information 
about  the  state  and  prospects  of  the  Church 
in  the  more  receut  settlements,  and  to  for- 
ward her  interests.  Ilatley  was  then  a  place 
inhabited  chiefly  by  xYuiericans  from  the 
other  side  of  the  lines,  and  there  was  scarcely 
an  indiv^idiial  in  the  entire  tract  of  surround- 
ing country  with  whom  tlie  Hon.  Mr.  Stew- 


I: 


IE 


70 


LIFE   OF   BISHOP   STEWART. 


art  could  associate  as  a  congenial  companion 
in  habits,  manners,  or  attainments.  1  found 
liim  in  occupation  of  a  small  garret  in  a 
wooden  house,  reached  by  a  sort  of  ladder, 
or  something  between  that  and  a  staircase: 
here  he  had  one  room,  in  which  were  his  little 
open  bed,  his  books,  and  his  writing-table; 
everything  of  the  plainest  kind.  The  farmer's 
family,  who  lived  below,  boarded  him  and 
his  servant.  Soon  after  my  arrival,  I  was 
seized  witli  an  attack  of  illness,  and  he  im- 
mediately gave  me  up  his  room,  and  made 
shift  for  himself  in  some  other  part  of  the 
house;  how,  I  know  not. 

"  And  here,  buried  in  the  woods,  and  looking 
out  upon  the  dreary  landscape  of  snow,  some 
thousands  of  miles  away  from  all  his  connex- 
ions, many  of  whom  were  among  the  highest 
nobility  of  Britain,  this  simple  and  single- 
hearted  man,  very  far  from  strong  in  bodily 
health,  was  laboring  to  build  up  the  Cliurch 
of  God  and  advance  the  cause  of  Christ 
among  a  population  who   were  yet   to  be 


I 
i 


«'  HE  w\s  SO  rnoMrr.' 


71 


^^    Mr.  nnvtliin^  approaching  to  order, 

".:;t^:i  r  ^^^^ed  i.  of ..,  w. .. 

:^:    utter  strange,  to  t.e  CUurcW 
Man^,  with,  I  believe,  the  excep-n  «    ^ 
!4  f.nUy,  and  not  pavt..pav^- 

Jat  majority  of  instances,  of  e^ther  o 

\.  nf  the  Christian  religion,     mey 

Sacraments  of  th«^  ^^^^  ,^,,t  part 

,vere,  however,  -^^  ^^^^.,  ^,  .^tend- 
,  other  systems,  and  in   h  ^^^^  ^^^^ 

'^^"    1     rl-rtmightaswellhe 
in  their  way.     J^i-  <=  .    ^^^^t. 

-«"r'''''tt:  n^:  iiu,  or  „. 

„p„„  t!,e  vor,  1^     »  „,„,„ 

first  iMl»«  ""i  """"     '     ,    '  Km,  lli«' 


tl^^  i' 


"ii 


IP' 


72 


LIFE   OF   BISHOP   STEWART. 


r 


when  he  first  came  among  them,  they  could 
not  believe  he  was  a  clergyman,  because,  as 
they  expressed  it,  he  was  so  prompt.  They 
referred  in  this  to  a  certain  quickness,  ab- 
ruptness, and  liveliness  of  manner  which 
characterized  him,  and  which  singularly  con- 
trasted with  the  slow,  measured  drawl  and 
demure  austerity  of  deportment  which  ad- 
hered, from  puritanical  ancestors,  to  the  or- 
dinary teachers  of  religion  who  had  been 
among  them. 

"  One  man,  who  was  a  great  religionist  in 
his  way,  pronounced  decisively  that  Mr. 
Stewart  had  no  piety,  because  hits  boots 
shone  so  nicely ;  his  English  servant,  with- 
out much  solicitude  on  the  part  of  his  mas- 
ter, having  probably  brought  out  some  good 
Day  and  Martin,  with  proper  brushes,  which 
produced  an  effect  quite  new  in  that  locality. 
He  won,  however,  rapidly  upon  all  parties, 
and  by  slow  degrees  formed  a  church  con- 
gregation at  Hatley,  and  others  in  the  neigh- 
borhood— the  foundation  of  those  which  now 


73 

DEBECBATION   OF   StTNDAT. 

exist  in  the  xnissions  of  Hatley,  Con^pto., 
and  elsewhere.  . 

tice  «th  the  people,  yh"  »» 

.„.„g  tl.e,»,  to  follow  ttar  mal  W^" 

"» ^""MTi  ::7fL  ^-^)">- 

:::^:Jo„Ke»w..M..H.«- 

ta  wort,  «.a  th.  m.n  "'""""f  ,.t„, 

u      ^+   oflFord  to  lose  a  aa}  b 
he  could  not  ^"  ^^^,,  „„  „l„t 

t  *;  "."twf  h,Wf  ..a  „«  oxen  «» 
the  day »  1*0' ol  o        ,  „,,„twhioli, 

worth;  »ix>"'"»"8'°"'tt  to,  the  moment 

:r:;r:ei.«™>..  *  i.  a^ded^^ - 

f  Imir  how  omf»""ly  ht.  presevved    » 
l:rf:L;^ow...dUyhe.ecommod.t»> 

7 


■i;l 


.1 


74 


LTFK   OF   BISHOP   STEWART. 


himself  to  the  habits  of  the  country,  and  how 
completelj  he  gave  np  his  whole  man  to  the 
work  upon  whicli  he  had  entered  ;  for  my 
illness,  with  the  state  in  whicli  it  left  me  as  a 
convalescent,  detained  me  for  five  or  six 
weeks  under  his  roof." 

The  style  of  his  lodging  is  still  more  mi- 
nutely described  by  the  Rev.  C.  Jackson, 
who  afterwards  succeeded  to  the  mission  of 
Hatley,  and  who  has  furnished  the  following 
particulars : 

"  During  Dr.  Stewart's  residence  at  Hat- 
ley  he  boarded  with  Mr.  E.  Bacon,  who 
speaks  of  Dr.  Stewart  with  great  reverence 
as  one  of  the  best  men  he  ever  knew.  The 
chamber  which  he  occupied  was  an  upper 
room  of  a  house  one  and  a  half  story  high, 
and  consequently  the  roof  on  one  side  com- 
ing down  to  within  two  feet  of  the  floor ;  it 
was  twelve  feet  by  fourteen,  with  his  bed  in 
it ;  and  during  a  part  of  the  time  he  occu- 
pied it,  the  opposite  chamber  in  the  same 
house  was  used  as  a  shoemaker's  shop.     Till 


r»t» 


I,ml.K  TIMK  WASTCP  IN   ST.y.EP. 


75 


*i  '■i' 


i.nnt  he  preached  twice  every 
ft  churcli  was  built,  ne  \n<. 

^      •    «  i.rivate  house  occupied  by  Mi. 
Sunday  m  a  puvate  ,,  ^  ^„ek  he  occa- 

E.mdleigh-,andd«nngth    we^ 

sionally  lectured  to  a  few  people 

,,.,or  three  days  in  each -^,-^;- 
other  three  were  spent  rn  v^  ««g 

^-^^^^^'^rSd^:ast^otedtofast- 

Each  returning  Fnday  w 
ing,  meditation,  and  prayer;  his  d  nne . 
Z  day,  was  salt  and  potatoes  ,   and  he 
:i.  iSt  his  room  on  such  o.as.ns  ^^ 

-^r^rL^xttir^"^^^^"^ 

prayers  at  night,  he  seiao 

*  1  i^,.v  in  the  morning,  and  nevw 

till  two  o  clock  m  tue  ^^^^, 

allowed  himself  more  than  four  oi 
sleep." 


li 


t    :  |l 


Clapttr  iintt 


PKOULIAR  ADVANTAGES  FOR  MISSIONARY  LABOR — A  WIDEB 
FIELD  LAID  OPEN — LOOKING  ON  THE  MAP — JOURNEY  TO 
MONTREAL,  AND  TO  MANY  OTHER  TOWNS  AND  VIL- 
LAGES—TUE  IRISH  SETTLEMENTS — REMAINS  OF  THE  SIX 
NATIONS — DUTIES  DISCHARGED  BY  OUR  GENERAL  MIS- 
SIONARY— EXTREME    WESTERN    BORDER    OF    CANADA 

RETRACING   STEPS — GENERAL    REVIEW    OF    THE    WHOLE 
TOUR ONE    OF   THE   PRACTICAL   EVILS    OF   DISSENT, 

UT  however  successful  Dr.  Stewart 
had  been  in  his  eifbrts  to  build  up 
the  Church  at  Ilatley,  his  soul  was 
^  burning  with  a  holy  ambition  to  do 
still  more  in  tlie  service  of  his  Di- 
vine Master.  With  the  ardor  and 
self-devotion  of  the  Saints  of  earlier  days,  he 
regarded  no  laboi*  or  sacrifice  too  great  in 
such  a  cause. 

His  position  as  an  unmarried  man,  with  no 
home  associations  to  confine  him  to  one  spot, 
made  it  comparatively  easy  for  him  to  enter 


I 


A   WIDEK  I'lKLD   LAID  Ol'KN. 


77 


'I  DEB 

pEY  TO 

VIL- 

fK  81X 
f'   MIS- 
DA 

HOLK 

wart 
d  up 

was 

0  do 

Di- 

and 

,  lie 

iii 

no 
>ot, 
ter 


upon  a  wider  field  of  missionary  duty. 
Moreover,  the  possession  of  an  ample  for- 
tune gave  him  advantages  which  a  poorer 
person  could  not  possibly  have  enjoyed. 

It  is  beautiful  to  observe  how  carefully  ho 
limited  his  personal  expenses,  in  order  that 
the  larger  share  of  his  income  might  be  de- 
voted to  the  Church. 

His  letters  written  to  English  friends 
would  give  them  little  idea  of  the  hardships 
which  he  endured.  Indeed,  he  had  become 
so  accustomed  to  the  shelter  of  a  rude  hut, 
and  the  coarse  fare  of  brown  bread  and  salt 
pork,  that  he  almost  ceased  to  think  of  such 
inconveniences  himself. 

It  was  in  the  year  1819  that  Dr.  Stewart 
received  the  appointment  as  visiting  mission- 
ary in  the  Diocese  of  Quebec,  which  then  em- 
braced the  whole  province  of  Upper  Canada. 

In  order  that  my  readers  may  follow  the 
good  man  with  more  interest  through  his 
various  wanderings,  I  would  recommend  that 
they  should  look  out  the  places  on  the  map, 

7^ 


I: 


r  (l 


hi'i 


m 


T8 


LIFE   OF  BISnOr   STEWART. 


)■ 


as  the  name  of  each  town  and  village  is  men* 
tioncd. 

As  soon  as  Dr.  Stewart  received  the  ap- 
pointment to  which  we  have  just  referred,  he 
began  to  make  frequent  excursions  to  differ- 
ent points  about  Hatley ;  and  early  the  next 
year  (1820)  he  set  out  on  a  more  extensive 
journey. 

lie  went  to  Montreal,  passing  through 
Shefford,  and  Chambly,  and,  indeed,  halting 
at  every  place,  however  small  or  insignifi- 
cant, where  the  services  of  a  clergyman 
might  be  desired.  From  Montreal  he  turned 
his  face  westward,  to  St.  Andrew's  and  the 
Ilawkesbury  settlement,  on  the  Ottawa  river. 
Here  he  found  many  of  the  people  anxious 
to  have  a  church ;  but,  as  is  often  the  case, 
it  was  a  hard  question  to  decide  where  it 
should  be  built,  each  little  cluster  of  cabins 
and  cottages  thinking  its  own  claim  to  be 
preferred. 

Advancing  still  further  towards  the  set- 
ting sun,  the  undaunted  missionary  found  the 


JOURNEY  TO   VARIOUS   TOWNS. 


79 


I'M. 


ten- 

ap- 

1,  he 

[ffer- 

lext 

lisivo 

nigli 
ilting 
nifi- 
man 
irned 
i  the 
river, 
xions 
case, 
sre  it 
abiiis 
;o  be 

set- 
ithe 


prospect  briglitening ;  and  at  Mille  Eoches, 
the  erection  of  a  place  of  worship  had  ac- 
tually been  begun,  through  the  efforts  and 
encouragement  of  the  Rev.  Salter  Mountain. 
At  Prescot,  also,  it  was  expected  that  a 
church  would  be  completed  by  the  close  of 
the  summer. 

Dr.  Stewart  next  w^ent  to  Kingston  (then 
the  largest  town  in  Upper  Canada,  with  a 
population  of  four  thousand),  and  passing  by 
Hamilton  and  Port  Hope,  he  paid  a  visit  to 
the  Irish  settlements  in  the  counties  of  Cavan 
and  Monaghan.  The  people  were  anxious  to 
secure  the  services  of  a  clergyman  and 
schoolmasters,  and  promised  to  do  all  they 
could  for  their  support. 

A  church  had  then  lately  been  built  at 
Queenston,  near  the  Falls  of  Niagara,  and 
good  hopes  wore  entertained  for  the  Church 
at  Markhain  and  Newmarket. 

Passing  around  the  borders  of  the  lake, 
Dr.  Stewart  reached  York,  then  the  seat  of 
government  for  Upper  Canada.    The  name 


4 


3 


li\ 


n 


1 


80 


.LIFE   OF   BISHOP   STEWART. 


has  since  been  changed  to  Toronto.  From 
there  he  made  his  way  to  the  Indian  settle- 
ment on  the  Grand  Eiver,  the  remains  of 
those  famous  tribes  of  the  Six  Nations,  which 
took  sides  with  the  British  during  the  war 
of  Independence. 

King  George  III.  had  built  a  church  for 
them,  and  here  Dr.  Stewart  (assisted  by  the 
Rev.  E.  Leeming)  performed  Divine  service, 
preached,  and  administered  Baptism  and  the 
Lord's  Supper.  He  was  greatly  pleased  with 
the  devout  behavior  of  the  congregation,  and 
with  the  spirit  with  which  they  joined  in  the 
chants  and  psalms.  Everywhere  that  he 
went,  our  missionary  acted  as  a  peace-maker, 
to  heal  divisions  in  distracted  neighborhoods, 
and  encouraged  the  building  of  churches,  and 
the  employment  of  ministers  and  teachers. 

He  pursued  his  course,  in  spite  of  all  ob- 
stacles, to  the  extreme  western  border  of  Can- 
ada, and  was  gratified  to  find  substantial 
brick  churches  at  Sandwich  and  Amherst- 
burg. 


rom 

:tle- 

of 

lich 

I  war 


RETRACING   STEPS. 


81 


The  Rev.  Mr.  Pollard  had  been  the  agent 
for  the  accomplishment  of  this  good  work,  as 
well  as  for  the  establishment  of  the  Church 
at  Chatham. 

On  his  way  to  this  last-named  place,  Dr. 
Stewart  passed  through  the  "  Long  Woods," 
an  uninhabited  region  of  nearly  thirty-five 
miles  extent,  when  he  found  himself  at  Fair- 
field, the  Moravian  village  of  the  Delaware 
Indians,  on  the  southern  bank  of  the  Tliames. 
The  good  order  and  neatness  which  pre- 
vailed spoke  well  for  the  faithful  labors  of 
the  German  missionary,  Denche,  who  had 
devoted  so  many  years  to  their  service. 

On  his  return  Dr.  Stewart  rode  through  a 
thinly-settled  country,  and  trac^ts  almost  im- 
passable, to  the  residence  of  Colonel  Talbot, 
who  was  the  first  settler  in  that  district*  In 
his  passage  he  met  with  several  families  be- 
longing to  the  Church  of  England,  and 
afforded  tlicm  an  opportunity  of  having  their 
children  baptized.  Such  is  a  brief  abstract  of 
the  report  presented  by  Dr.  Stewart  in  per- 


ti  f 


d 


•f'  1  •' 


11 


^^.■■■^toiiaii-tr 


82 


LIFE  OF  BISIIOr   STEWART. 


son  (for  he  again  came  home  in  the  autumn) 
to  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the 
Gospel,  on  the  20th  of  December.  The  tour 
had  occupied  very  nearly  six  months ;  and 
although,  from  the  beginning  to  the  end  of 
the  report,  he  makes  no  allusion  to  the  labor 
he  underwent,  and  the  privations  which  he 
had  to  bear,  it  must  be  borne  in  mind  that 
such  a  journey,  through  a  country  like  Can- 
ada thirty  years  ago  in  the  depth  of  winter — 
a  country  without  inns  and  very  thinly  peo- 
pled— must  have  fully  tried  both  his  moral 
and  physical  powers  of  endurance.  Many  a 
missionary  who  has  braved  the  dangers  of  a 
pestilential  climate,  and  the  treachery  and 
fanaticism  of  a  savage  race,  would  have 
shrunk  from  the  chill  forest  rides,  the  long, 
solitary  evenings,  and  the  wretched  accom- 
modation, which  this  high-born  but  humble 
minister  of  the  Gospel  welcoiuud  and  gloried 
in  for  his  Master's  sake. 

One   general   remark   which   Dr.  Stewart 
made,  on  a  review  of  the  country  which  he 


Lmn) 

the 
tour 

and 
id  of 
labor 
;h  he 

that 

Can- 
iter — 
^  peo- 
moral 
lany  a 
'S  of  a 
y  and 
.  have 
(3  long, 
accoin- 
luiablc 
gloried 


.T    vvTTS   OF   DISSENT. 
PR  ACTIO  A.L   1ML«   ^'^ 


83 


A  was  tlns-tliat  the  propagation  of 
traversed,  was  this  ^  ^^^^  ^^^^ 

xi,    p  .^qt^pI  was  mainly  impeatju    j 
the  Cjospei  av^o  i^.ec;ml^     A  variety 

of  unity  in  religiouB  1-^     ^^^^^^^^^^^   ,.,, 
,,  sects  existed  eve.y w  - ,  -    ^^^^  ^^^^._ 

n:  laX   eo:::;.nce   .a.  t.at  in 
suasion,  and  t  ^^^^.^ce  of  public 

""'"'        !f  I:  practical  eviis  of  division, 
this  is  one  of  the  pi  ^^^^^. 

.vliicli  lias  not  commonly  receive 
tion  it  deserves  *         


i%„ 


<;W' 


.  \n 


Stewart 
iiicli  he 


(^]mUx  %tnt\. 


ANOTHER   FLTINa   VISIT   TO    ENGLAND A    WINTER  8   MIS- 
SIONARY    TOUR HULL,     ON     THE     OTTAWA — FACTIONS 

UNITED A    FORTNIGHT    WELL    SPENT PRK.SSING     ON- 
WARD— RAPID    INCREASE    OF   THE    CHURCH   IN   CANADA 

ANOTHER    VISIT    TO    THE    MORAVIAN    INDIANS — TOO 

MUCH    WHISKY NAMESAKE   OF  THE    GREAT   LONDON — 

SEVERE     ILLNESS — TROUBLE    ABOUT    THE    CLERGY    RE- 
SERVES  SPECIAL    EMBASSY    TO     ENGLAND — DEATH     OF 

BISHOP    MOUNTAIN,     AND     THE     APPOINTxMENT    OF    HIS 


SUCCESSOR. 


N  1821,  Dr.  Stewart  made  another  short 
)  visit  to  England,  partly  to  see  his  rel- 
^  atives  and  friends,  but  principally  to 
further  the  interests  of  the  Church  in 
Canada. 
Tlie  winter  of  the  same  year  finds 
him  agahi  at  his  work,  pushing  his  way 
through  the  snow,  to  look  after  the  scattered 
sheep  in  that  vast  moral  wilderness.  This 
tour  was  limited  to  the  boundaries  of  what 


MI8- 

noNS 

ON- 
SATlA. 
—TOO 

ION — 

r  nB- 

H    OF 
F    HIS 


sliort 
8  rel- 
lly  to 
rch  in 

finds 
1  way 
ittered 
This 
f  what 


A  FOKTNKfflT  WELL   SPKNT. 

■  J      ^  l.i«  home  circuit,  viz.,  Siicr- 
he  considered  his  ^':^'  ^         .^d 

::r:nt::c..oree.ensu..i^^^^^ 

of  his  stopping-places  ^-^  M,  o 

Ottawa  river.     The  P™-l-\;;";^^.  g,,,. 
^eve  of  Preshyterian  descent,  but  Di  •  b 
It  soon  persnaded  all  factions  to  unite  their 

and  other  persons  ottai^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 

T^rT    tll^t  stopped  a  fortnigh 

'^  rmr  W  itse,  in  the  township  of  Yonge, 
with  mi.  win    ,  ^^g  rendei- 

the  breakhig  np  of  the  ^^"'^^  ^^„. 

•       tv^vellini:  almost  ni:possihle.     -li^ 
ing  tiaveums,  ,.  tr.  the  best  ad  van- 

B„c..me,  K.,..»...  ;;ft«  r*'^' 

ronto.    Tlie  members  of  the  m^ 


t  -k. 


41 


Hir: 


8P> 


TJFE    OF   BISHOP    STEWART. 


in  Canada  were  then  a  small  body,  compared 
with  the  multitudes  who  called  themselves 
by  various  names ;  but  so  faithful  were  the 
labors  of  the  early  missionaries,  and  so  abun- 
dant was  God's  blessing,  that  as  far  back  as 
1849  the  number  of  Churchmen  had  increased 
until  it  embraced  one  third  of  the  population. 

Dr.  Stewart  continued  his  journey  to  Chat- 
ham, on  the  extreme  western  border,  where 
his  former  visitation  had  ended.  lie  then 
])rocGeded  twenty-one  miles  higher  up  the 
Thames,  to  the  Moravian  village  of  tlie  Del- 
aware Indians. 

It  grieved  him  to  find  how  hopeless  a  task 
it  was  to  attempt  to  improve  the  condition 
of  these  poor  people,  so  long  as  unprincipled 
white  men  furnished  tliein  with  spirituous 
licpiors,  and  set  before  them  the  examr)le  of 
depraved  manners  and  unlicensed  passions. 

The  condition  of  London  (a  namesake  of 
the  great  metropolis  of  the  world)  was  found 
to  be  highly  prosperous ;  and  here  our  mis- 
sionary officiated  on  Sunday,  July  28th,  bap- 


red 
ves 
the 
ain- 
c  as 
aeed 
bion. 
Jhat- 
liere 
then 
)  the 
Del- 

Bi  task 
(lition 
cipled 
•ituous 
Die  of 
ions, 
ake  of 
i  fuuud 
ur  mis- 
[h,  bap- 


^   niVRGV   RESERVES.    87 
^     knnV'T    THE    CLl^^l^^  ^ 
TROUBLE   ABOLT  \ 

,,„,  a.ee  ad.U.  a.d  -c^^  ^^X^  ., 

urge  family,  -^^^J^^\  .^a  wallced  ten 
father,  sons  and  daugh^^^^^^^^ 

miles  to  enjoy  the  priv     „ 

eervices.  ^  clergyman 

was  twice  attacKea  ^_^^^^  ^^^^^^^ 

of  liovemboi,  no  w" 

three  weeks.  ^  AssemWy, 

^"^^  tlr    -da:  address  to  tUo 
i-  Lower  Canada  ^^^..^^^^^  ,^, 

1-"^'  ^^^-^^^/l  in  the  revenue  wluch 
inations  nnglit  sliare  ^^^^^^^  ^^^. 

the  benetit  ot  the  M        1  ^^^^  ^^.^^^,,s, 

,,.uUin  regar  0^^^^^^^^^ 

npon  the  r.ght»  ot  tUo  ^^  ^^^^,^^^^^  „^ 

avt-scouu>us.on-^^^^^^^^.^ 

the  Bununer  ot  1^-^';    ^^^^^,,i,.* 

4-r.  tlie  propyl  auiii*^^        ^ 

,^onJo_tl.elJ__  ^^--^^ 

Clergy  Beserve.,  .eo  C/m«/.  it 


HH 


m 


'1'l!i 


88 


LIFE   OF    TiTFlIOl'    STIOWAKT. 


But  while  engaged  in  this  perplexing  busi- 
ness, the  Canadian  delegate  took  occasion  to 
renew  his  personal  applications  to  his  friends 
and  acquaintances  for  funds  towards  the 
building  of  churches  in  that  vast  region  of 
spiritual  destitution  to  which  his  life  was  de- 
voted. Dr.  Stewart  returned  to  America  as 
soon  as  he  had  attended  to  his  important 
errand,  and  landed  at  New  York  in  Novem- 
ber, 1824. 

Another  extensive  missionary  journey  was 
entered  upon,  and  many  encouraging  signs 
were  discovered  for  the  future  prosperity  of 
Zion. 

Long  before  the  period  of  which  we  are 
speaking,  the  health  of  good  Bishop  Mount- 
ain had  become  so  impaired  that  he  was  most 
anxious  that  his  Diocese  might  be  divided 
and  his  labors  lightened  by  the  appointment 
of  another  Bishop. 

All  eyes  were  turned  upon  Dr.  Stewart  as 
the  person  who  should  be  called  to  this  high 
and  most  arduous  office  ;  but  it  was  not  until 


^■4tn 


►U81- 

)n  to 

[ends 

the 

[1  of 

Is  de- 

ica  as 

rtant 

^vem- 


DEATII   OF   BISHOr   MOUNTAIN". 


89 


after  the  death  of  Bishop  Mountain,  in  1825, 
that  the  devoted  missionary  was  summoned 
home,  to  be  crowned  with  the  mitre,  and  to 
receive  that  pastoral  staif  which  is  the  token 
of  heavier  responsibilities  and  sacrifices  man- 
ifold. 


1 


I 


was 
signs 
tyof 

e  are 
ount- 
most 
aded 
ment 


1 


il  If 


rt  as 
high 
until 


Cljnjjtcr  (^Ubcnt^, 


I. 


AN  IMPORTANT   TI?ANS ACTION  ON   NEW  YEATl's   DAY,   1828 

LAMBETH    PALACE — THE   NEW   lUSHOP   OF   QrEBEO — 

EXTRACT    Fi:oM    THE     CO.VHEOllATION    8EHMON BISHOP 

BTEWAUt\s  AliiaVAL  IN  NEW  YORK — PliEACHEJ^  IN 
TRINITY  CHURCH,  NEW  YORK  —  DEPARTURE  FOR  yl'E- 
liEC — A  DESCRIPTION  OF  HIS  INSTALLATION  FROM  AN 
ENCLISH  POINT  OF  VIEW. 

X  tlie  Feast  of  the  Circumcision,  Jan. 
1st,  1826,  an  important  transaction 
JaHJ/I  took  place  in  the  Chapel  of  Lam- 
beth Palace.  The  Eev.  Charles  J. 
Stewart,  D.  D.,  whose  career  we  have 
thus  far  traced,  was  then  consecrated 
Bishop  of  Quebec. 

Archbishop  Sutton  presided  on  the  occa- 
sion, being  assisted  in  the  laying  on  of  hands 
by  Dr.  Howley,  Bishop  of  London,  Dr.  Van 
Mildert,  Bishop  of  Llandaff,  and  Dr,  Bloom- 
field,  Bishop  of  Chester. 


r-c  V 


happy  results    will    ^^  ^^^^  ^^^  ^^, 

causes  unfovcBeen     ^^-Jj^  ^^^^^^^.^  ,f 
nearly  so),  without  a  v  cw  ^  ^.^^.^^^ 

p.ol-cssU>ual  adv..a,^  ^^t  ^^^^^  ^^^^  ^^.^^,^,, 

^^^"^'"^^ri        on  lus  anao.-tl.e  whole 

armor  ot    God  ,  ..^.tplate  of  rigbt- 

eousn.SB,lus  ^^^^^^^^  _^^^,,  ,u,  taking 

«^^^"^rf.1l/l   Vet  of  salvation, 
tbe  shield  of  t.uth  t^e  b  ^^  .^^  .^  ^^^^ 

andtbeswordo^^     -  ;^^^ 

aangers  and  d^com^^^^^^^^^^^ 

immense  ocean,  the  se  ^^^^^^ 

state  of  temporary  e«le,  be  we 

and  began  bis  piouB  work. 


i  4'i 


l*kl 


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IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


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Photographic 

Sciences 

Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14S80 

(716)872-4503 


'^'V^ 


'<^ 


6^ 


92 


LIFE   OF   BISHOP   STEWART. 


"We  cannot  trace  him  through  his  va- 
rious labors ;  we  cannot  enumerate  his  disin- 
terested sacrifices ;  we  cannot  duly  estimate 
the  extent  or  mamitude  of  his  services  ! 
The  annual  reports  of  our  venerable  Society 
may  give  an  outline  of  the  liberal  system  on 
which  he  has  been  acting  for  many  years 
past :  that  of  establishing  the  fear  and  the 
worship  of  God  ;  that  of  promoting  the 
erection  of  churches,  and  of  houses  for  their 
ministers  ;  and,  in  short,  hj  donations,  by 
collections,  by  the  most  active  exertions, 
whether  in  Canada  or  in  England,  straining 
every  nerve  to  assist  the  well-being,  the 
mental  improvement,  the  spiritual  edifica- 
tion of  those  friendly  and  valuable  provinces 
so  happily  connected  with  this  country. 

"  Ever  ready  to  dispense  the  blessings  of 
Christianity,  the  special  missionary  went 
forth,  and  traversed  many  thousand  miles  to 
animate,  to  encourage,  to  instruct  and  com- 
fort the  Christian  families  around  him,  where- 
soever they  might  be  scattered.    In  journey- 


PREACHES   IN   TRINITY   CHURCH. 


93 


ings  often,  in  perils  of  water,  in  weariness 
and  painfulness,  in  hunger  and  thirst,  wan- 
dering across  the  trackless  desert,  or  pene- 
trating the  gloomy  forest,  that  he  might 
communicate  to  them  who  were  walking  in 
darkness  the  means  of  salvation,  the  light  of 
life.  He  literally  might  be  said  to  have  upon 
him  the  care  of  all  the  churches,  and  (as  in 
the  instance  of  his  great  prototype)  he  strove 
abundantly  to  render  the  Gentiles  fellow- 
heirs,  and  of  the  same  body,  and  partakers 
of  his  promise  in  Christ,  by  the  Gospel. 
Bright  and  glorious  is  the  prospect  now  be- 
fore him,  in  the  ripening  harvest  to  which  he 
is  called." 

As  soon  as  Bishop  Stewart  could  complete 
his-  arrangements,  he  sailed  once  more  for 
America,  and  landed  at  New  York  on  the 
20th  of  May. 

On  the  Sunday  morning  following  he 
preached  in  Trinity  Church,  at  the  invitation 
of  Bishop  Hobart,  who  was  then  the  rector ; 
and  in  the   afternoon    attended  All-Saints' 


I'M 

■JW 

i'l;' 


'.'1 


V^ 


m 


■    :*  .- 

1 


94 


LIFE   OF   BISHOP   STEWART. 


Chapel,  when  the  Bishop  of  New  York  ad- 
ministered Confirmation. 

Bishop  Stewart  left  New  York  on  Wednes- 
day, accompanied  by  his  chaplain,  the  Eev. 
Mr.  Morgell,  and  by  the  Eev.  Mr.  Hudson, 
of  Kingston. 

As  we  have  no  such  ceremonial  in  the 
American  Church  as  the  Installation  of  a 
Bishop,  w^e  quote  the  very  interesting  account 
which  appeared  in  the  Quebec  Gazette^  of  the 
5th  of  June,  1826 : 

"  Yesterday  the  Lord  Bishop  of  the  Diocese 
was  installed  in  the  Cathedral  Church,  with 
the  usual  formalities,  adapted  in  some  points 
to  local  necessity.  As  this  ceremony,  which 
is  partly  legal  and  partly  ecclesiastical,  is  a 
novelty  to  many  persons  in  this  country,  it 
may  not  be  uninteresting  to  describe  it. 

"The  Christian  religion  is  ordained  to  pass 
through  different  stages,  and  subject,  by  the 
appointment  of  Providence,  to  great  varieties 
of  outward  circumstance.  The  Church  of 
Christ,  as  well  as  her  ministers  individually, 


DESORirXION   OF  III8   INSTALLATION. 


95 


ought  to  *  know  both  how  to  be  abased  and 
how  to  abound.'  In  such  a  condition  as  is 
enjoined  by  that  branch  of  the  Church  which 
is  in  connexion  with  the  British  empire,  it  is 
suitable  in  itself,  and  subservient  to  a  general 
reverence  for  religion,  that  particular  occa- 
sions should  be  marked  by  a  certain  degree 
of  form  and  state ;  and  it  is  believed  that  the 
distinctions  with  which  the  new  Bishop  was 
received  in  the  Cathedral  were  regarded  with 
interest  and  satisfaction  by  the  whole  of  a 
crowded  congregation  ;  an  interest,  however, 
and  a  satisfaction  which  derived  their  highest 
zest  from  the  feeling  universally  entertained, 
that  the  subject  of  these  distinctions  is  an 
approved  and  laborious  servant  of  the  Gospel. 
"  His  lordship  having  arrived  at  the  prin- 
cipal entrance  of  the  church,  and  having  de- 
scended from  his  carriage  with  his  attend- 
ants, his  chaplain  knocked  for  admission  at 
the  door.  The  clergy  and  inferior  church 
officers  being  assembled  within,  it  was  de- 
manded, W/to  was  there  ?    In  answer  to  which, 


I;:' 


m 


::i,l 


■\tii- 


96 


LIFE   OF   BISHOP   STEWART. 


The  Bishop  of  Quebec  was  announced.  The 
doors  were  then  opened,  and  while  a  volun- 
tary was  played  by  the  organist,  the  proces- 
sion moved  up  the  centre  alley  in  the  following 
order  (the  clergy  attached  to  the  Cathedral 
establishment  wearing  their  surplices,  with 
the  distinctions  of  their  respective  clerical 
rank  or  academical  degree,  and  those  who 
attended  upon  the  Bishop  being  in  their 
robes  ;  the  choir  and  inferior  church  officials 
also  wearing  their  respective  habits) : 

"  The  sexton  ;  the  boys  of  the  choir,  two  and 
two ;  the  men  of  the  choir,  two  and  two ;  the 
church  clerk ;  the  assistant  minister  of  Que- 
bec and  the  minister  of  the  chapel  of  ease 
(being  a  dependency  of  the  Cathedral)  abreast; 
the  evening  lecturer  of  the  Cathedral ;  the 
archdeacon  ;  the  Bishop's  domestic  chaplain, 
and  acting  chaplain  for  the  occasion,  abreast ; 
the  verger,  with  his  staff ;  the  Bishop. 

"  As  soon  as  the  procession  reached  the 
rails  of  the  Communion-table,  at  the  upper 
end  of  the  church,  the  sexton,  choristers,  ver- 


'K- 


DESCRIPTION   OF  HIS   INSTALLATION.         97 


ger,  and  church  clerk  filed  off  in  the  rear  of 
the  pulpit,  and  proceeded  to  their  respective 
places  in  the  church.  Tlie  Bishop  and  clergy 
passed  within  the  rails,  where  the  chair  of 
ceremony  was  placed  at  the  north  side  of 
the  altar.  The  royal  mandate  under  the  great 
seal,  directing  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury 
to  consecrate  the  Hon.  and  Rev.  Charles 
James  Stewart  to  the  bishopric  of  Quebec, 
was  read  by  his  Lordship's  chaplain,  the  seal 
being  supported  by  the  Eev.  J.  J.  Mountain, 
from  Upper  Canada,  acting  for  the  occasion. 
An  oath  was  then  administered  to  his  Lord- 
ship by  the  archdeacon,  relating  to  his  faith- 
ful government  and  guardianship  of  the 
establishment  of  the  Cathedral  Church  (the 
ordinary  powers  of  a  dean  and  chapter  being 
in  this  instance  vested  in  a  great  measure  in 
the  Bishop).  The  archdeacon  then  conducted 
his  Lordship  to  the  throne,  or  episcopal  seat. 
The  Bishop  afterwards  read  the  Communion 
service,  and  discharged  the  principal  part  in 
the  solemn  administration  of  the  Sacrament." 

9 


:.. 


'i^^^l 


I'Xl 


i!!. 


^i^:' 


€\i\iiUx  f  toelft^. 


HONORS  AND  DIGNITIES,  BUT  NO  CHANGE  IN  SIMPLICITY 
OF  HEART — TESTIMONY  OF  MRS.  HANNAH  MORE — "a 
GREAT    advancement"— FIRST  EPISCOPAL   VISITATION 

LARGE    CONFIRMATIONS PRIMARY    CHARGE   TO    THE 

CLERGY — A   CALL   TO   HUMILITY — TIMELY   SUGGESTIONS 

IMPORTANCE    OF     CATECHISING — PREPARATION     FOR 

THE  lord's  SUPPER. 


^ET  it  not  for  a  moment  be  supposed 
that  the  title  of  "my  Lord,"  which 
was  bestowed  upon  Bishop  Stewart, 
or  the  pomp  and  pageantry  attending 
his  installation,  had  produced  the 
slightest  change  in  the  simplicity  and 
godly  sincerity  of  the  laborious  missionary, 
whose  weary  steps  we  have  so  long  been  fol- 
lowing about. 

Mrs.  Hannah  More  remarked,  in  a  letter 
to  Dr.  Wilson  (the  late  lamented  Bishop  of 
Calcutta),  dated  May,  1821,  "  I  have  had  a 


FIRST  EPISCOPAL   TISITATION. 


99 


5IMPLT0ITT 
lORK — " A 
'^ISITATION 
E  TO  THE 
GGK8TI0NS 
TION     FOR 


apposed 
"  which 
Stewart, 
;tending 
ted  the 
sity  and 
sionary, 
een  fol- 


i  letter 
ihop  of 
)  had  a 


visit  from  my  valued  friend,  Dr.  Stewart, 
from  Canada.  It  was  pleasant  to  hear  a  man 
of  his  birth  speak  of  it  as  a  great  admrnce- 
ment  that  he  was  now  appointed  a  travelling 
missionary,  instead  of  a  local  one.  I  find  him 
mucli  improved  in  spirituality.  He  had  l)een 
the  honored  instrument,  since  we  last  met,  of 
causing  twenty-four  churches  to  be  built."  ^ 

If  Dr.  Stewart's  heai*t  thus  became  more 
wedded  to  his  work  when  he  was  appointed 
a  travelling  missionary,  in  a  far  higher  de- 
gree did  he  realize  his  awful  responsibility 
when  the  office  and  authority  of  a  Bishop  in 
the  Church  of  God  were  conferred  upon  him. 
As  soon  as  he  reached  his  Diocese,  he  began 
a  tour  for  the  purpose  of  administering  Con- 
firmation. 

Six  years  had  passed  since  this  h  -  rite 
had  been  performed  in  any  Canadian  town 
except  Quebec,  and  considerable  numbers 
were  waiting  to  receive  it. 

•  Hannah  More's  Life  and  Letters,  Vol.  IL,  p.  342. 


f^j 


1 


100 


LIFE   OF  BISHOP   STEWART. 


Two  hundred  and  five  candidates  present- 
ed themselves  in  Quebec,  two  hundred  and 
eighty-six  in  Montreal,  thirty-seven  at  Niag- 
ara, one  hundred  and  eight  at  York,  one 
hundred  and  fifteen  at  Kingston,  and  seventy- 
eight  at  Perth.  Many  of  these  persons  were 
advanced  in  years. 

In  the  month  of  August,  Bishop  Stewart 
delivered  his  primary  charge  at  Monti-eal  and 
York.  It  was  the  earnest  and  affectionate 
address  of  a  chief  pastor  to  his  brethren, 
breathing  throughout  a  most  profound  sense 
of  his  own  vast  responsibility  and  an  ardent 
desire  for  the  prosperity  of  the  Diocese  over 
which  he  had  been  called  to  preside.  As 
this  charge  is  a  valuable  document,  and  one 
which  it  is  not  easy  to  obtain,  I  shall  gratify 
my  readers  by  giving  a  few  extracts  from  it. 
The  Bishop  thus  began  : 

"  My  Reverend  Brethren — On  this  new 
and  solemn  occasion  of  our  meeting,  many 
topics  of  great  interest  present  themselves  to 
our  consideration.    I  shall  select  those  which 


/ 


A   CALL   TO   HUMILITY. 


101 


)re8ent^ 
•ed  and 
t  Niag- 
rk,  one 
eventj- 
ns  were 

Stewart 
eal  and 
^tionato 
■ethren, 
a  sense 
ardent 
se  over 
e.     As 
^d  one 
gratify 
rom  it. 

18  new 
many- 
yes  to 
which 


demand  our  chief  attention  ;  even  to  them,  I 
fear  that  I  cannot  do  that  full  justice  which 
their  importance  deserves. 

"  The  subject  which  first  presses  itself  on 
your  feelings  and  mine  is  that  of  mutual  con- 
dolence on  the  loss  we  have  sustained  in  the 
death  of  our  dear  and  excellent  friend  and 
counsellor,  the  late  Bishop  of  this  Diocese. 

"  We  all  recollect  with  lively  rememl^rance 
the  virtues  and  piety  of  his  character,  and  the 
learning  and  abilities  which  distinguished 
him ;  and  with  sorrow  and  sympathy  we 
reflect  on  our  being  deprived  of  his  example 
and  guidance.  This  aifectionate  remembrance 
and  these  just  reflections  will  always  stimu- 
late us,  I  trust,  to  greater  watchfulness,  dil- 
igence, and  exertions  in  the  performance  of 
our  respective  duties ;  but  they  add  to  my 
concern  on  your  account,  and  to  anxiety  on 
my  own.  They  make  me  more  sensible  of 
my  inferiority  in  many  respects,  and  my 
comparative  unfitness  for  so  great  a  charge 
and  so  responsible  an  office.     The  plainness 

9* 


jl: 


l*lr 


f 


r  c 


.i!lf 


m 


102 


LIFE   OF   lUSTIOP   STKWART. 


of  this  call  to  linmility  on  my  part,  and  my 
improvement  of  it,  may  be  of  advantage  to 
me,  bnt  it  cannot  be  beneficial  to  you  except 
in  the  occasion  it  affords,  and  which  I  beg 
you  will  use,  of  exercising  greater  charity 
and  candor  towards  me.  This,  however,  I 
have  encouragement  to  expect  from  a  review 
of  my  long  and  intimate  acquaintance  with 
many  of  you,  the  kind  reception  I  have  lately 
experienced,  and  the  very  favorable  senti- 
ments of  regard  for  me  which  you  have  so 
warmly  expressed.  It  has  not  pleased  the 
Giver  of  every  good  and  perfect  gift  to  dis- 
pense his  talents  equally  to  all.  Such  as 
have  been  mercifully  granted  to  me  I  shall 
endeavor  to  use  to  the  best  of  my  power  in 
furtherance  of  the  great  cause  we  have  at 
heart ;  and  confiding  with  humility  and  rev- 
erence in  God's  blessing  on  your  prayers 
and  mine,  and  on  our  joint  exertions,  I  trust 
we  shall  be  mutually  profitable  to  each  other 
and  to  the  people  committed  to  our  charge." 
After  some  important  and  timely  sugges- 


.'.i: 


i-     I 


IMPORT  A  ^'U7':   OF   CATKCniSING. 


103 


knd  my 
|tage  to 
except 
I  beff 
eliaritj 
ever,  I 
review 
e  with 
>  lafely 
senti- 

lave  so 

ed  the 

to  dis- 

uch  as 

[  shall 

wer  in 

tve  at 

d  I'ev- 

•ajers 

.  trust 

other 

'ge." 

gges- 


tions  111  regard  to  puhlic  worship  and  tlie 
proper  appreciiation  of  Baptism,  Bishop  Stew- 
art speaks  of  the  duty  of  catechising. 

"For  the  benefit  of  the  yomiger  part  of 
yonr  flock,  you  are  fnniislied  with  a  Cate- 
chism, or  summary  of  faitli  and  practice,  to 
be  learned  by  all  ])ef()re  they  come  to  be  con- 
firmed by  the  Bishop  ;  and  the  rubrics  and 
canons  of  the   Church  prescribe  great  and 
constant  attention  to  the  office  of  catechising. 
In  this  compendium  of  doctrinal  and  practi- 
cal Christianity  the  duties  of  repentance  and 
renouncing  the  world,  of  faith  and  obedience, 
of  prayer,  and  performing  the  Sacraments, 
are  laid  down  in  a  perspicuous  manner ;  but 
explanation  and  a  further  representation  of 
our  Christian  profession  and  vow  in  Baptism 
are  required,  in  order  that  they  may  be  prof- 
itably learned.     This  instruction  you  are  par- 
ticularly called  upon  to  give  previously  to  the 
celebration  of  the  rite  of  Confirmation  in  your 
several  cur6s ;  which  circumstance  of  itself 
tends  to  show  the  importance  of  the  duty  and 


104 


LIFE   OF   BISHOP   STEWART. 


if' 


■  1  : 

s         t 

I     'H 

)i 

the  advantage  of  the  rite.  Confirmation  is  a 
special  provision  in  our  Church,  and  in  most 
of  the  Churches  of  Christ,  for  the  accomplish- 
ment of  the  object  I  have  been  pressing  upon 
you,  namely,  the  confirming  young  persons 
in  the  knowledge  and  practice  of  their  Bap- 
tismal Covenant. 

"  You  must  exhort  them  to  prepare  for  the 
ofiice  by  diligent  study  on  the  subject,  accom- 
panied with  hearty  prayer  to  God  for  increase 
in  the  manifold  gifts  of  grace.  Its  usefulness 
in  these  respects  must  recommend  it  to  our 
particular  attention ;  and  the  high  estimation 
in  which  it  was  held  by  the  Apostles  is  man- 
ifest from  several  passages  of  Scripture.  St. 
Paul  classes  it  with  the  elements  of  our  re- 
ligion, among  the  rudiments  we  must  learn 
preparatory  to  our  striving  to  go  on  to  per- 
fection. He  connects  it  with  the  first  prin- 
ciples of  Christianity  in  these  words :  '  Leav- 
ing the  principles  of  the  doctrine  of  Christ, 
let  us  go  on  unto  perfection  ;  not  laying  again 
the  foundation  of  repentance  from  dead  works, 


PREPARATION  FOR  THE  LORd's  SUPPER.  105 


Lon  IS  a 
:n  most 
rplisli- 
g  upon 
persons 
ir  Bap- 

for  the 
accom- 
icrease 
fulness 
to  our 
mation 
s  man- 
e.    St. 
)ur  re- 
learn 
o  per- 
prin- 
'  Leav- 
lirist, 
again 
^orks, 


■^ 


and  of  faith  towards  God,  of  the  doctrine  of 
Baptism,  and  of  laying  on  of  hands,  and  of 
resurrection  of  the  dead,  and  of  eternal  judg- 
ment.' "     [Ileb.  vi.  1,  2.] 

We  have  only  room  for  one  more  extract, 
and  tliis  relates  to  the  Lord's  Supper.  May 
some  of  those  who  have  been  baptized  and 
confirmed,  but  who  are  keeping  back  from 
the  Holy  Commimion,  be  aroused  to  a  sense 
of  their  duty  in  this  respect!  It  is  to  be 
feared  that  many  are  thus  lialting  and  hesi- 
tating, instead  of  going  forwards  to  do  all 
that  has  been  commanded. 

"  After  Confirmation,  follows  the  duty  of 
preparing  for  the  Sacrament  of  the  Lord's 
Supper.  No  office  of  our  ministry  is  more 
important,  as  none  ofters  so  frequent  and 
great  opportunity  of  giving  godly  instruc- 
tion and  serious  advice.  The  plainness  of 
the  duty  acknowledged  by  all,  and  the  ben* 
efits  of  it  so  striking  and  extensive,  make 
every  man  who  has  any  degree  of  reflection 
uneasy  under  the  neglect  of  them,  or  in  some 


I1 


m 


106 


LIFE   OF   BISHOP   STEWAET. 


ii- 


1   I 


( •: 


i\ 


degree  desirous  of  partaking.  Of  this  well- 
grounded  cause  of  anxiety  a  clergyman  should 
avail  himself,  by  representing  the  undutiful 
and  unsatisfactory  state  of  every  one  who  is 
not  a  communicant,  by  explaining  the  nature 
of  repentance  and  faith,  and  the  offer  and 
promise  of  the  gifts  of  the  Spirit  to  all  who 
heartily  seek  for  tiiem  ;  by  exhorting  his 
hearers  to  imj^rove  the  means  of  grace,  and 
of  growing  in  virtue  and  faitli,  especially  that 
of  remembering  our  Lord  in  the  way  posi- 
tively commanded,  and  particularly  blessed 
by  Him  to  those  who  worthily  receive  this 
holy  Sacrament.  The  subject  includes  all 
other  Christian  duties,  besides  many  peculiar 
to  itself,  and  is  very  affecting  to  every  one 
who  has  ears  to  hear  or  a  heart  to  feel. 

"The  terrors  of  the  Lord  are  not  to  be  dis- 
guised ;  they  arouse  many  a  careless  sinner ; 
but  the  love  of  Christ  in  living  such  a  life  on 
earth  as  He  endured,  and  dying  such  a  death 
as  He  suffered  for  us,  must  constrain  to  sor- 
row for  sin,  and  hatred,  of  it,  every  heart 


EXTRACT   CONCLUDED. 


107 


3  well- 
should 
iutiful 
^vho  is 
nature 
sr  and 
11  who 
12:  his 
»e,  and 
ly  that 
f  posi- 
3lessed 
re  this 
les  all 
eculiar' 
ly  one 

he  dis- 
sinner ; 
life  on 
I  death 
to  sor- 
'  heart 


whifh  is  not  excessively  hardened  hy  its 
deadening  and  worst  effects ;  must  move  to 
love  of  God,  and  comfort  and  hope  in  Him, 
every  one  who  contemplates  His  Son  dying 
on  the  cross  for  our  sins,  and  rising  again  for 
our  justification  ;  and  this  is  the  love  t>f  God, 
that  we  keep  his  commandments." 


I*?! 


n- 


^^»jttr  I|itttent|. 


i' 


'  :  % 


JL  successor  as    TKA yelling   missionary — IMPORTANCE 
OF    THIS    OFFICE — VISITATIONS    OF    1827    AND    1828 — 

MODES  OF  TRAVELLING INTERESTING  SCENE — TOUR  TO 

THE  BAYS  OF  GA8PE  AND  CHALEURS — CARRIAGE  BREAKS 
DOWN — THE  BISHOP  SITTING  ON  A  PINE-LOG — ALWAYS 
IN  THE  WAY  OF  DUTY — THE  WRETCHED  HOVEL — *'  OF 
WHAT  RELIGION  ARE  YOU  ?" — SAYING  THE  CATECHISM 
— AN  OVERFLOWING  HEART. 

NE  of  the  first  measures  of  Bisliop 
Stewart  was  to  recommend  the  Rev. 
George  Archbold  as  his  successor  in 
the  office  of  travelling  missionary, 
which  recommendation  was  at  once 
adopted  by  the  Society.  The  Bishop, 
from  his  own  experience,  had  learned  the 
great  importance  of  such  an  agent,  and  he 
therefore  lost  no  time  in  directing  attention 
to  the  subject. 

In  1827  and  1828  his  Episcopal  visitations 
compassed  the  whole  circuit  of  his  /immense 


BAYS   OF   GASPE   AND   CTIALEUR8. 


109 


f 


>KTANOE 

1828— 

TOUR  TO 
1  BREAKS 
ALWAYS 
CL — *'  OP 
TEOHISM 


Bishop 
e  Rev. 
ssor  in 
ionarj, 
it  once 
3ishop, 
3d  the 
md  he 
ten  lion 

tations 
inieiisc 


Diocese,  and  while  we  have  no  space  to  give 
the  minute  details,  we  can  say,  in  brief,  the 
labors  of  no  Bishop  have  ever  been  more  ar- 
duous or  important. 

We  may  picture  to  ourselves  this  venerable 
man  pursuing  his  weary  way  over  the  rough 
country  which  was  everywhere  spread  before 
him,  sometimes  in  a  wagon  or  sleigh,  some- 
times on  horseback,  and  sometimes  on  foot, 
and  making  his  temporary  home  under  the 
roof  of  the  lumberer  or  in  the  wigwam  of 
the  Indian. 

And  here  a  most  interesting  scene  is 
brought  before  us,  by  the  Rev.  Job  Deacon, 
of  Adolphustown,  one  of  the  oldest  mission- 
aries in  Canada. 

"The  Bishop  of  Quebec,  finding  that  my 
health  was  greatly  impaired,  kindly  invited 
me  in  the  summer — I  think  it  was  of  1829 — 
to  accompany  him,  in  the  hope  that  I  might 
derive  benefit  from  the  voyage,  on  a  Con- 
firmation tour  to  the  Bays  of  Gaspe  and 
Chaleurs,  and  subsequently  on  a  visit  to  Lady 

10 


I 


'  iii 


^i 


110 


LIFE   OF   BISHOP    STEWART. 


•?)■ 


i  ' 


<  '!?>; 


'i  r'P 


Sarah  and  Sir  Peregrine  Maitland,  who  was 
then  Lieutenant-Governor  of  Halifax,  as  well 
as  to  the  Lord  Bishop  of  that  Diocese,  whose 
visitation  was  to  be  held  at  a  certain  day. 
The  Confirmation  tour  made — the  visit  paid 
— and  the  visitation,  which  afforded  to  us 
the  highest  gratification,  over — the  vessel  at 
his  Lordship's  disposal  was  dispatched  to  Pic- 
tou,  there  to  await  our  arrival,  whilst  we 
proceeded  by  land  in  one  of  the  best  convey- 
ances which  could  be  procured  at  that  time 
in  Halifax,  to  join  Lady  Sarah  and  Sir  Pere- 
grine Maitland  at  the  former  place,  they 
having  left  for  it  the  day  previous  in  their 
own  carriage.  There  were  five  of  us  in  the 
hired  vehicle — the  Bishop,  myself,  the  Bish- 
op's man,  a  servant  of  Sir  Peregrine  Mait- 
land, and  the  driver.  We  had  not  proceeded 
more  than  about  fifteen  miles  from  Halifax, 
on  the  way  to  Truro,  when  our  carriage  broke 
down,  in  the  midst  of  the  forest,  and  some 
two  or  three  miles  distant  from  any  kijiown 
habitation.     His  Lordship's  man  and  the  dri- 


iiii 


ALWAYS    IN   TICK   WAY   OF   DUTY. 


Ill 


rio  was 
IS  well 
whose 
n  day. 
St  paid 
to   us 
issel  at 
to  Pic- 
ilst  we 
jonvey- 
it  time 
r  Pere- 
e,  they 
n  their 
in  tlie 
e  Bish- 
)  Mait- 
>ceeded 
[alifax, 
J  broke 
1  S0me 
kijLown 
he  dri- 


ver were  despatched  in  quest  of  another  con- 
veyance, and  whilst  waiting  their  return,  the 
Bishop  sat  down  on  a  pine-log,  under  the 
shade  of  some  spreading  branches,  to  shelter 
himself  from  the  rays  of  the  sun.  I  followed 
his  example,  and,  in  doing  so,  expressed  a 
wish  "that  we  were  safely  out  of  this  solitary 
place,  and  at  Quebec,"  being  weary  and 
weak  from  illness.  His  Lordship  mildly  re- 
plied, ''Why,  we  may  be  as  much  in  the  way 
of  our  duty  here,  under  the  direction  of 
God's  providence,  as  if  at  Quebec,  and  our 
Divine  Master  may  find  some  work  for  us  to 
do  before  we  reach  it.  But  men  of  families, 
like  you,  are  generally  anxious  to  return  to 
the  domestic  circle ;  I  have  no  such  ties,  and 
am  therefore  free  from  such  anxieties." 

But  shortly  after  uttering  these  words,  the 
Bishop  exclaimed,  "  Why,  I  perceive  a  smoke 
yonder!  Come,  let  us  see  from  whence  it 
issues."  Accompanying  his  Lordship,  we  in 
a  short  time  arrived  at  a  miserable-looking 
ehanty,  a  sort  of  hut  formed  of  unliewn  logs. 


' 


112 


LIFE   OF   BISHOP   STEWART. 


>'.' 


j  : 


i  h 


!i' 


At  the  door  of  this  wretched-looking  hovel 
the  Bishop  ask^d,  "Are  there  any  inmates 
here?"  on  which  a  female  presented  herself; 
and  the  squalid  misery,  the  forlorn  wretched- 
ness, depicted  in  her  person  and  countenance, 
I  never  saw  surj^assed  —  perhaps  never 
equalled.  Nevertheless  the  Bishop  did  not 
hesitate  to  enter,  and  I  of  course  followed. 
Here  were,  also,  two  young  girls  of  a  like 
squalid  appearance  with  that  of  the  woman. 
His  Lordship  inquired  if  these  two  girls  were 
her  daughters,  and  what  their  respective  ages 
were?  "They  are,  sir,  mine,"  she  replied, 
"  and  the  one  is  about  fifteen,  the  other  twelve 
years  of  age."  "Have  you,"  his  Lordship 
asked,  "  a  husband,  and  if  so,  where  is  he  ?" 
"I  have,  sir,"  was  her  reply,  "and  he  is  in 
Halifax."  He  next  asked,  "Of  what  country 
are  you,  and  how  long  have  you  been  here?" 
"I  am  a  native  of  L^eland,  sir,  and  have  been 
here  these  three  years."  "  Of  what  religion 
are  you?"  again  asked  the  Bishop.  "I  and  a 
member  of  the  Church  of  England,  sir,"  she 


fiAYINQ   TIIK    CATECHISM. 


113 


hovel 
imates 
erself; 
jtched- 
nance, 

never 
id  not 

owed, 
a  like 
Oman. 
3  were 
e  ages 
jplied, 
welve 
'dship 

he?" 

is  in 
untrj 
ere?" 

been 
igi^i 
anl  a 
"  she 


replied.     *^Can  your  daughters  read?"  was 

the  reply. 


the 


Yes, 


ext  question.  **  i  es,  sir,"  was 
"Have  you  any  books?"  "Yes,  sir;  we  have 
our  Bible,  Prayer-book,  and  some  tracts, 
brought  with  us  from  Ireland."  His  Lord- 
ship then  heard  both  daughters  read  in  the 
New  Testament,  who  acquitted  themselves 
creditably,  especially  the  elder.  After  this 
the  Bishop  asked,  "  if  they  could  repeat  the 
Catechism?"  They  replied,  "Yes,"  and  they 
did  repeat  it,  and  answered  some  questions 
other  than  those  contained  in  the  Catechism 
— ^which  the  Bishop  put  to  them  to  ascertain 
how  far  they  understood  what  they  repeated 
— much  to  his  satisfaction.  Then,  after  a 
pause,  the  Bishop  observed,  "I  am  rejoiced 
to  find  your  daughters  so  well  instructed  in 
the  principles  of  the  Church,  and  that  they 
continue  to  read  their  Bible,  and  to  retain 
the  Catechism  in  their  memories — under- 
standing it,  as  they  appear  to  do — here  in 
this  lonely  wilderness!  Why,  one  must  have 
been  but  nine,  the  other  twelve  years  of  age, 

10* 


i  i\ 


ti;> 


li 


114 


LIFE   OF   BISHOP    STEWART. 


f 


'I  I. 


(.    \ 


i  ^ 


when  tliey  left  Ireland  I  How,  then,  and 
by  whom,  were  they  instructed?"  "They 
learned,  sir,"  said  she,  "to  read  at  the  parish 
school,  were  instructed  in  the  Catechism 
and  in  the  Scriptures  by  our  clergyman  — 
the  blessing  of  God  rest  upon  him  day  and 
night!  They  received  from  him  those  books 
and  tracts  which  you  see  here  [pointing  to 
those  which  had  been  just  used],  and  which 
were,  I  believe,  supplied  to  him  by  a  Society 
in  England;  and  they  have  thus  far  been 
preserved  from  evil  in  the  Church  of  their 
forefathers,  and  will,  I  trust  and  pray,  con- 
tinue to  be  '  Christ's  faithful  soldiers  and  ser- 
vants,' in  His  Church,  until  their  lives'  end. 
And  oh!  blessings,  blessings,  temporal  and 
eternal,  descend  on  those  who  have  supplied 
those  books.  They  have,  indeed,  been  our 
comfort  and  solace  here,  in  this  dreary  wil- 
derness, under  many  severe  trials ;  and  the 
absence  of  our  beloved  church — if  we  had 
but  decent  clothing  to  appear  in  it/— is  not 
one  of  the  least."     "But,"  said  the  Bishop, 


AN    OVERFLOWING    IIKAKT. 


115 


Jn,  and 
"They 
!  parish 
echism 
iman  — 

ay  and 
!  books 
ling  to 
which 
Society 
been 
their 
^  con- 
id  ser- 
3'  end. 
il  and 
pplied 
1  our 
Y  wil- 
d  tlie 
3  had 
s  not 
shop, 


"these  young  persons  must  not  be  permitted 
to  remain  here  in  this  wild  solitude — you 
must  send  them  to  Plalifax."  "Ah!  sir," 
the  poor  woman  said,  as  she  took  a  hasty  and 
painful  glance  at  them,  "they  are  not,  as 
they  once  were,  in  a  lit  state  to  be  sent  there. 
Besides,  even  if  they  were,  their  father  could 
not,  I  fear,  do  anything  for  them;  and,  with- 
out any  other  acquaintance  or  friends  there, 
how  could  they  obtain  situations?"  "Leave 
that  to  me,  my  good  woman,"  said  the  ever 
kind-hearted  and  charitable  Bishop;  "I  will 
see  to  it.  I  am  the  Bishop  of  Quebec,  and 
am  now  on  my  way  to  Pictou,  to  join  Lady 
Sarah  and  Sir  Peregrine  Maitland;  I  may, 
perhaps,  overtake  them  at  Truro.  Here, 
take  this,"  presenting  the  woman  with,  I 
think,  five  pounds,  "  and  as  soon  as  you  can 
prepare  your  daughters,  send  them  to  Gov- 
ernment House,  at  Halifax,  with  the  compli- 
ments of  the  Bishop  of  Quebec.  I  will 
speak  to  Lady  Sarah  Maitland  to  take  one  of 
them,  and  to  send  the  other  to  my  niece  at 


I 


IIG 


LTKK   OF    BISHOP   8TKWART. 


Quebec,  who  will  take  charge  of  her."  The 
poor  creature  threw  herself  on  her  knees  to 
thank  his  Lordship,  but  her  heart  was  too 
full,  she  could  not  utter  a  syllable.  Her 
eyes,  however,  and  her  manner,  spoke  more 
ffeelingly  and  eloquently  that  which  her 
tongue  refused  to  express. 

The  Bishop  hastily  quitted  the  hut  in  deep 
emotion;  and  as  for  myself,  the  scene  has 
been  so  indelibly  stamped  on  my  memory 
as  to  be  scarcely  ever  effaced ;  and  sure  I  am 
that  those  girls  must  have  become  useful  and 
respectable  members  of  society,  although  I 
never  subsequently  heard  of  them." 


;  Ji! 


The 

ees  to 
18  too 

Her 
more 

her 

deep 
e  has 
mory 
I  am 
1  and 


^^h  I 


Chapter  ifl»tltcntfe* 

SIX   MONTHS   IN   THE   FIFJ.T) — VAIilOUS   OHUROnKS  0ON81- 

ORATED — NOT  A  ROBUST    /)ODY,  BUT  A  8TOUT  HEART 

HARD  FIELD  OF  LABOR — IMPKOVEMfilNT — NUMBER  OF 
CLERGY  IN  1831— -VISITATION  OF  TIIK  i]  A  STERN  TOWN 
SHIPS — THE  BISnOP'8  OLD  HOME — WALKING  IN  THE 
WAY  OF  THE  LORD — GOOD  EFFECTS  OF  A  TEMPERANCE 
SOCIETY — USEFUL  COURSE  OF  MINISTRATION — VISIBLE 
EECAY — PROVIDING  FOB  THE  FUTURE — A  COADJUTOR 
APPOINTED. 

LMOST  half  of  the  year  1830  was 
spent  by  Bishop  Stewart  in  travers- 
ing the  different  parts  of  his  Dio- 
cese. During  this  visitation  he  con- 
secrated the  churches  of  Sherbrooke ; 
of  St.  Peter,  in  the  northern,  and 
St.  Paul  in  the  southern  division  of  Eaton, 
and  also  those  of  Lennoxville,  Three  Eivers, 
and  Christ  Church,  Montreal,  besides  holding 
Confirmation  in  many  places. 
It  should  be  borne  in  mind,  while  we  arc 


111!., 


^ 

'^'^ 

;.|, 

i 
1 

f 

-     t 

M 

\ 

118 


LIFE   OF  BISHOP   STEWART. 


thus  recounting  these  incessant  labors,  that 
the  Bishop  was  far  from  being  a  robust  man, 
and  although  his  stout  heart  oftentimes  kept 
him  up  when  his  strength  was  ready  to  fail, 
premature  old  age  was  creeping  fast  upon 
him. 

Few  men  would  have  been  willing  to  en- 
dure all  that  he  did,  and  no  one  who  knew 
him  could  doubt  that  his  whole  heart  was 
set  upon  his  work.  His  field  of  labor  was 
indeed  a  most  trying  one,  but  he  w^as  cheered 
by  many  tokens  of  God's  favor.  Churches 
were  built,  and  schools  established,  and  mul- 
titudes of  those  who  had  been  sadly  disobe- 
dient to  God's  laws  were  turned  to  the  wis- 
dom of  the  just. 

The  number  of  clergy  in  1831  amounted 
to  thirty-six. 

In  the  summer  of  1833  the  Bishop  made 
a  visitation  of  the  eastern  townships,  con- 
firming at  Nicolet,  Shipton,  Hatley,  Lennox- 
ville,  and  Drummondsville.  / 

He  thus  refers  to  his  old  place  of  residence, 


USEFUL   COURSE  OF  MINISTRATION.       119 


Charleston,  while  he  was  missionary  of  Hat- 
ley: 

"I  had  great  satisfaction  in  visiting  my 
old  friends  in  this  place  and  its  vicinity, 
many  of  whom,  parents  and  children,  I  had 
baptized,  and  whom  I  now  found  walking  in 
the  ways  of  the  Lord  faithfully.  I  had  also 
the  satisfaction  of  consecrating  the  new 
church,  St.  James',  a  better  and  more  com- 
modious one  than  the  first,  which  was  more 
than  a  mile  from  the  village.  In  the  new 
church  I  confirmed  twenty  persons." 

The  good  effects  of  a  Temperance  Society 
were  very  apparent  in  this  part  of  the  coun- 
try, and  I  can  bear  testimony  to  similar  good 
results  in  several  other  missions  in  the  Dio- 
cese, where  formerly  the  habits  of  the  people 
were  far  from  temperate,  while  now  the  use, 
and  even  sale  of  spirituous  liquor  is  almost 
exploded.  The  Rev.  S.  Lockhart  accompa- 
nied liim  as  his  chaplain  on  this  visitation, 
and  it  may  bo  as  well  to  insert  in  this  place 
an  explanation  which  the  Bishop  gives  of  his 


120 


LIFE   OF   BISHOP   STEWART. 


:•*! 


usual  course  of  ministration  in  every  place 
where  he  was  engaged  in  the  discharge  of  his 
Episcopal  functions. 

"Here  I  shall  observe,"  he  says,  "in  a 
general  way,  that  sermons  were  delivered  by 
myself  or  my  chaplain,  wherever  a  Confirm- 
ation was  held  or  a  church  consecrated.  On 
Sundays  we  both  preached;  and  on  other 
days,  when  not  pursuing  our  journey,  one  of 
us;  and  where  we  stopped  for  the  night  it 
was  usually  our  practice  to  assemble  the 
family,  and  sometimes  a  few  of  their  neigh- 
bors, and  assist  them  in  joining  together  in 
prayer,  and  hearing  the  Word  of  God." 

Although  Bishop  Stewart  was  thus  actively 
engaged,  his  strength  was  quite  unequal  to 
the  labor,  and  many  unfavorable  symptoms 
were  giving  him  wari\ing  that  the  night  was 
fast  coming  when  he  could  no  longer  work. 
He  felt  it,  therefore,  to  be  his  first  duty  to 
make  some  arrangement  by  which  more  effi- 
cient Episcopal  oversight  could  be  ,^iven  to 
his    extensive  charge.     With  this  'view   he 


A    COADJUTOR   APPOINTED. 


121 


place 
of  his 

^'in  a 
ed  by 
afirm- 
.  On 
other 
ne  of 
^ht  it 
3  the 
eigh- 
er  in 


confided  to  his  friend  Archdeacon  Moimtaio 
the  task  of  negotiating  with  the  proper  an 
thorities  in  England  such  measures  as  might 
he  deemed  necessary.  The  result  was  the 
appointment  of  this  worthy  clergyman  as 
coadjutor,  with  the  title  of  Bishop  of  Mon- 
treal.* 


tt  After  Bishop  Stewart's  death,  Bishop  Mountain  suc- 
ceeded him  in  the  Diocese  of  Quebec.  In  1850,  the 
Church  in  Canada  had  so  increased,  that  Dr.  Fulford  was 
consecrated  Bishop  of  Montreal ;  and,  in  1857,  Dr.  Cro- 
nyn  became  Bishop  of  Huron,  C.  W. 

11 


ively 
lal  to 
►toms 
t  was 
iTork. 
ty  to 
I  effi- 
3n  to 
V  he 


€^^Ux  |iflttnt|j. 


I, 


1"! 


I 


(         '<• 


PABEWELL  TO  QUEBEC — THE  OREAT  TEMPEBANOB  MEET* 
ING  AT  SARATOGA — A  SPEECH  FROM  THE  BISHOP — 
ARRIVAL  AT  NEW  YORK — DR.  HENSHAW's  LAST  RECOL- 
LECTIONS   OF    HIM REACHES    ENGLAND — AFFLICTING 

INTELLIGENCE — VISIT  TO  BRIGHTON — A  TOUCHING  SCENE 
IN  OHUBOH — PRATER  FOR  A  SICK  CHILD — POWER  OP 
FAITH  AND  LOVE. 

N  the  summer  of  1836  Bishop  Stew- 
art left  Quebec  for  the  last  time,  with 
the  forlorn  hope  that  a  voyage  to 
England  might  add  somewhat  to  his 
life,  and  enable  him  to  be  still  fur- 
ther useful. 
Passing  down  through  the  State  of  New 
York,  in  order  to  take  ship,  he  stopped  at 
Saratoga,  where  he  attended  the  great  Tem- 
perance meeting  which  was  then  in  jBession.* 

*  Those  of  my  readers,  whose  rememWance  extends 
back  so  far,  wiU  associate  with  this  meeting  the  appear- 
ance of  '*  Protestant  Jesuitism,"  one  of  the  Rev.  Calviu 


■'1! 


ARRIVAL   AT  NEW   YORK. 


123 


■x- 


'  After  attending  the  debates  for  three  days, 
the  Bishop  asked  permission  to  say  something. 
His  request  being  readily  granted,  he  deliv- 
ered an  interesting  speech,  in  which  he  de- 
picted in  lively  colors  the  alarming  effects 
of  intoxicating  drinks,  as  he,  no  doubt,  had 
witnessed  them,  and  concluded  in  these 
words:  "I  did  not  come  to  this  meeting 
with  an  expectation  of  becoming  a  teetotaler 
or  a  total  abstinence  man ;  but  the  arguments 
have  been  so  very  weighty  and  important, 
that  I  am  determined  to  use  no  more  intoxi- 
cating drinks,  except  medicinally  and  in  the 
ordinance  of  the  Lord's  Supper." 

This  pledge  he  ever  afterwards  most  faith- 
fully kept. 

From  Saratoga,  Bishop  Stewart  pursued 
his  journey  to  New  York  city,  from  whi(jh 
port  he  was  to  sail  for  England. 

It  was  here  that  Dr.  Henshaw  met  him  for 


the  last  time. 


Colton's  first  books,  which  made  a  great  excitement  at 
the  time. 


124 


T.TFE  OF  BISHOP   8TEWAET. 


:P 


I'* 


*  i*'' 


lii 


f.  ■'■ 


(Our  readers  cannot  have  forgotten  the  in- 
teresting account  which  he  gave  of  the  faith- 
ful Canadian  missionary,  contained  in  our 
fifth  chapter.)  He  represents  him  now  as 
but  the  shadow  of  his  former  self — ^his  cheeks 
sunken,  and  his  whole  frame  emaciated  and 
frail. 

Bishop  Stewart  reached  England  in  the 
autumn  of  1836,  but  with  no  improvement 
of  his  health.  When  he  landed  at  Liverpool 
he  received  the  afflicting  intelligence  of  the 
death  of  his  brother,  the  Hon.  James  Stewart. 

The  shock  which  this  gave  him  was  very 
great,  and  with  a  sad  heart  he  went  to 
Brighton,  to  meet  another  brother,  Edward, 
who  was  then  staying  there. 

The  Rev.  James  S.  M.  Anderson  thus 
touchingly  describes  Bishop  Stewart's  ap- 
pearance at  St.  George's  Church: 

"  One  Sunday,  whilst  I  was  engaged  in  the 
administration  of  the  Holy  Communion/  in 
my  church  (St.  George's),  at  Brighton,  I  ob- 
served a  venerable  man,  with  pallid  face  and 


r 


A  TOUCHINa   SCENE  IN   CHURCH. 


125 


le 


hair  white  as  silver  upon  his  brow,  draw  near 
to  the  Lord's  Table.  He  was  very  feeble; 
apparently  deprived,  in  some  degree,  of  the 
use  of  his  limbs ;  and  leaning  for  help  upon 
the  arm  of  a  gentleman  who  was  with  him. 
This  gentleman  I  recognized  to  be  the  Hon. 
Edward  Stewart,  at  that  time  Deputy  Chair- 
man of  the  Board  of  Customs,  with  whom  I 
had  the  pleasure  of  being  acquainted.  And 
seeing  the  aged  man,  as  he  drew  nearer,  wear 
the  dress  usually  assumed  by  none  but  cler- 
gymen of  a  superior  rank,  I  immediately 
conjectured  that  it  must  be  Mr.  Stewart's 
brother,  the  good  Bishop  of  Quebec,  whom 
I  saw.  I  had  long  watched  from  a  distance 
the  course  of  his  unwearied  and  faithful  min- 
istrations. I  had  heard  that  he  had  been 
compelled  by  infirm  health  to  relinquish  the 
duties  of  his  diocese,  and  had  returned  to  end 
his  days  in  his  native  land. 

"It  was  with  feelings  therefore  of  no  ordi- 
nary interest  that  I  administered  to  him  the 
consecrated  elements;  and  that  interest  was 

11^ 


126 


LIFE  OF  BISHOP   STEWART. 


yet  further  increased  when,  at  the  conclusion 
of  Divine  Service,  Mr.  Stewart  came  to  me 
in  the  vestry,  and  told  me  that  my  conjecture 
was  right,  and  that  the  Bishop  wished  me  to 
come  the  next  day  and  visit  him.  I  need 
scarcely  say  that  I  readily  obeyed  the  sum- 
mons; and  never  shall  I  forget  the  spectacle 
of  simple  and  earnest  piety  which  I  witnessed 
in  the  p'^^ison  of  that  good  man.  He  was 
lying  upon  his  bed,  and  unable  from  bodily 
weakness  to  do  more  than  lift  up  his  head 
from  the  pillow  and  stretch  out  his  hand  to 
press  mine  with  affectionate  and  hearty  greet- 
ing. The  only  other  person  present  in  the 
room  was  an  English  servant,  who,  he  said, 
had  been  his  faithful  and  kind  companion  for 
many  years,  and  whose  friendly  services  he 
acknowledged  with  deepest  gratitude.  He 
asked  me  to  read  to  him  the  Order  for  the 
Visitation  of  the  Sick.  I  did  so;  the  Bishop 
still  lying  upon  his  bed,  and  his  servant 
kneeling  by  its  side.  In  all  those  4)arts  of 
that  solemn  service  in  which  the  sick  man  is 


PRATER  FOR  A  SICK  CHILD. 


127 


required  to  speak,  he  uttered  in  the  most 
touching  tones  the  words  of  truth  and  sober- 
ness. And  when  we  came  to  repeat  the  ap- 
pointed portion  of  the  seventy-first  Psalm, 
although  he  had  no  book  spread  out  before 
him,  he  repeated  each  alternate  verse  with 
an  accuracy  which  quite  astonished  me  when 
I  considered  the  great  weakness  which  op- 
pressed him.  At  the  conclusion  of  the  ser- 
vice he  said,  'Do  not  leave  me  yet,  my  dear 
sir.  There  is  a  prayer  for  a  sick  child,  which 
I  have  often  read ;  pray  read  it,  sir,  now  in 
my  behalf.  You  will,  of  course,  make  the 
necessary  alterations  in  some  of  the  words 
as  you  pass  on,  but  read  it  all,  and  weak  and 
aged  as  I  am,  I  desire  to  draw  near,  with  the 
guileless  spirit  of  a  child,  unto  my  God  and 
Saviour.' 

"  When  we  rose  from  our  knees,  he  begged 
me  yet  to  prolong  my  visit,  for  he  wished  to 
speak  to  me  of  his  dear  Canada,  and  of  some 
of  the  scenes  which  his  friend  and  servant 
had  witnessed  with  him.    I  listened  with 


128 


LIFE   OF  BISHOP   STEWART. 


the  most  earnest  attention  to  him  as  he  spoke. 
It  was  evident  that  his  end  was  not  far  off. 
'The  silver  cord'  was  even  then  loosening, 
and  'the  golden  bowl'  nigh  unto  breaking. 
But  it  was  marvellous  to  see  the  power  with 
which  faith,  and  hope,  and  love  sustained 
him.  And  though  his  memory  was  beginning 
to  fail  him  with  respect  to  the  things  of  to- 
day or  yesterday,  yet  when  he  looked  back 
to  the  field  of  his  labors  in  Canada,  and  to 
the  work  which  the  great  Lord  of  the  seed- 
time and  the  harvest  had  enabled  him  there 
to  achieve,  his  perceptions  were  as  vivid  as 
ever,  and  his  grateful  acknowledgment  of  the 
reality  of  the  Divine  promises  distinct  and 
clear. 

"  I  gazed  upon  him,  and  listened  to  him 
with  a  reverence  and  gratitude  which  I  must 
seek  in  vain  for  language  to  express.  And 
when  the  time  for  our  separation  came,  I 
turned  away  with  a  heart  full  of  thankfulness 
that  I  had  been  privileged  to  witness  such 
an  evidence  of  faith  having  its  perfect  work, 


i 


■I 


M 


POWER  OF  FAITH   AND  LOVE.  129 

and  that  the  Church  of  which  I  was  an  or- 
dained minister  had  been  permitted  for  so 
many  years  to  call  such  a  man  her  missionary 
in  the  Western  "World." 


(^\^Ux  ^nUtntli, 


iN 


hopes  op  getting  back  to  scotland  to  die — failubk 
op  strength — goes  to  london — thoughtful  at- 
tentions of  a  kelative — two  faithful  servants 

last  days — falls   asleep — estimate  of  bishop 

Stewart's  character— origin  of  the  word  oanada 

— THE    BETTER    RICHES — THE     SAINT's     BEST — MURAL 
TABLET  AT   ST.  ARMAND, 

HE  wholesome  air  at  Brighton,  and 
the  agreeable  society  of  friends, 
wrought  so  favorable  a  change  in 
him,  that  Bishop  Stewart  began  to 
hope  that  he  might  be  able  to  return 
once  more  to  Galloway-house,  the 
home  of  his  fathers,  in  Wigtonshire.  He 
actually  set  out  on  the  way  to  Scotland,  and 
had  got  as  far  as  Boraston,  wherejiis  nephew, 
the  Eev.  Alexander  Stewart,  officiated,  when 
his  strength  gave  out,  and,  by  the  advice  of 
his  physician,  he  went  to  London. 


LAST   DAYS. 


131 


IhVTtE 
L  AT- 
IV  ANTS 
BISHOP 
ANA  DA 
MUKAL 


t,  and 
lends, 
^e  in 
m  to 
eturn 
,  the 
He 
,  and 
hew, 
N^hen 
leof 


Here  he  took  up  his  lodgings  at  a  hotel ; 
but  as  soon  as  his  nephew,  the  Earl  of  Gallo- 
way, heard  of  the  state  of  his  liealth,  he  sent 
word  from  Scotland  that  a  suite  of  apartments 
in  his  house  in  Grosvenor  Square  should  be 
prepared  for  the  Bishop. 

Here  the  venerable  servant  of  God  passed 
his  last  days,  free  from  all  intrusion,  and  ten- 
derly nursed  by  those  who  loved  him.  Two 
faithful  servants  had  accompanied  him  frotn 
Canada,  and  one  of  them  used  daily  to  read 
to  him  from  tlie  Bible,  and  such  devotional 
works  as  he  desired. 

Old  friends  came  in  to  cheer  him  by  their 
presence  and  conversation,  and  thus,  grad- 
ually, he  was  borne  onward  to  the  tomb. 

At  last  extreme  debility  seemed  to  affect 
his  hitherto  unclouded  faculties,  but  he  man- 
ifested no  impatience  nor  fretfulness,  and 
never  gave  way  to  despondency. 

Lady  Galloway  hardly  ever  left  him  with- 
out his  invoking  on  herself  and  her  children 
the  richest  mercies  of  God. 


'ii 


-I 

■1 

it!- 


'I- 


i  I 


132 


LIFE   OF  BISHOP   STEWART. 


Bishop  Stewart  entered  into  his  rest  on  the 
13th  of  July,  1837,  and  was  buried  in  the 
family  vault  at  Kensal  Green,  by  the  side  of 
his  brother  and  sister. 

Bishop  Mountain,  who  now  presides  over 
the  Diocese  of  Quebec,  thus  speaks  of  his 
distinguished  predecessor  : 

"  The  decease  of  the  Bishop  of  Quebec  de- 
prives the  Church  in  Canada  of  one  who  wai* 
her  boast  and  her  blessing,  and  the  clergy  of 
a  father  and  a  friend.  I  have  myself  lost  a 
personal  friend,  who  had  long  honored  me 
with  his  most  intimate  confidence ;  and  I  suc- 
ceed, for  the  present,  to  his  charge,  with  much 
fear  and  trembling,  having  no  hope  of  ever 
doing  what  he  has  done,  and  being  destitute 
of  many  advantages  which  he  enjoyed,  but  at 
the  same  time  with  a  determination,  by  the 
help  of  God,  to  follow  up  whatever  he  had 
put  in  train,  to  the  utmost  of  my  power." 

Dr.  Stewart  was  such  a  Bishop  as  St.  Paul 
himself  would  have  approved.  The  language 
which  Isaac  Walton  once  used  concerning 


ORIGIN  OF  THE   WORD  CANADA. 


133 


the 

the 

leof 

over 
If  his 

c  de- 

7  of 
ost  a 

1  me 

[suc- 

Quch 

ever 

itute 

iit  at 
the 

had 

'aul 
lage 
ling 


K 


another  worthy,  long  since  gone  to  rest,  might 
well  be  applied  to  him  :  "  A  saint  unspotted 
of  the  world,  full  of  alms-deeds,  full  of  hu- 
manity, and  all  the  examples  of  a  virtuous 
life." 

Bishop  Stewart  died  possessed  of  no  prop- 
erty. The  whole  of  his  private  fortune  had 
been  expended  for  the  benefit  of  the  Church. 
He  laid  up  his  treasure  in  a  better  world,  and 
he  has  certainly  found  it  there. 

The  origin  of  the  word  Canada,  where  the 
good  Bishop  spent  his  life,  is  curious  enough. 
The  Spaniards  visited  that  country  before  the 
French,  and  made  partial  searches  for  gold 
and  silver.  Finding  none,  they  often  said, 
among  themselves,  acd  nada  (there  is  nothing 
here).^  The  Indians,  who  watched  closely, 
learned  this  sentence  and  its  meaning.  After 
the  departure  of  the  Spaniards  the  French 
arrived,  and  the  Indians,  who  wanted  none 

*  This  derivation,  though  popular,  is  fanciful  and 
erroneous.  The  old  Indian  name,  Conedicuc,  is  still  pre- 
served in  the  northern  part  of  this  State. 

12 


134 


LIFE   OF  BISHOP   STEWART, 


!fn 


I 


of  their  company,  and  supposed  they  also 
were  Spaniards  come  on  the  same  errand, 
were  anxious  to  inform  them  that  their  labor 
was  lost  by  tarrying  in  that  country,  and  in- 
cessantly repeated  to  them  the  Spanish  sen- 
tence, acd  nada. 

The  French,  who  knew  as  little  of  Spanish 
as  the  Indians,  supposed  this  incessantly  re- 
curring sound  was  the  name  of  the  country, 
and  gave  it  the  name  of  Canada,  which  it  has 
borne  ever  since. 

We  have  referred  to  this  incident  for  the 
sake  of  the  lesson  which  it  teaches.  Our 
little  book  contains  the  life  of  one  whose  days 
were  passed  in  this  region,  where  gold  and 
silver  were  not  to  be  found,  that  he  might 
teach  people  to  search  for  the  riches  which 
can  never  fail ;  and  verily  he  has  his  reward. 

The  English  Church  may  boast  of  prelates 
more  learned,  more  eloquent,  more  ;world- 
renowned  than  Bishop  Stewart,  but  sjie  can- 
not exhibit  one  who  better  deserves  the  title 
of  "good." 


THE  saint's  best. 


135 


Best,  Christian  warrior  I  rest,  the  war  iB  past ; 
Best,  for  the  fight  is  fought. 
The  battle  bravely  won  ; 
Death  is  disarm'd-the  enemy-the  last- 
Yields  to  the  strength  supplied 
By  God's  victorious  Son  I 
No  more  thy  cheering  voice 
May  marshal  for  the  field ; 
That  practised  arm  no  more 

The  Spirit's  sword  shall  wield  ; 
Our  honor' d  chief  no  more  shall -need 
Faith's  all-protecting  shield ; 
Best,  Christian  warrior  I  rest. 


Best,  pilgrim  Bishop !  rest ;  thy  toils  are  o'er  ; 
Best,  for  the  great  High-priest, 
The  Bishop  of  thy  soul, 
Stayeth  thy  pilgrimage  for  evermore  ; 
Bun  is  the  rugged  race, 
And  gam'dKi  glory's  goal  I 

Thou  guileless  man  of  God  I 

Thou  venerable  priest  I 
Unnumber'd  works  of  love 

Thy  righteousness  attest.         v 
Apostle  of  the  Western  wilds. 

Thy  ministry  was  blest. 
Best,  pilgrim  Bishop  I  rest. 


1 


t .  .   ii 


136  LIFE  OF  BISHOP   STEWART. 

Rest— on  the  Saviour  rest  thy  rev* rend  head  ; 

Rest,  thou  who  ne'er  desired 
Labor  or  loss  to  shun ; 
Old  at  threescore,  and  gathered  to  the  dead  I 

The  glass  of  *'  rolling  years" 
How  prematurely  run  ! 
Thus  God  to  us  appoints 

A  clouded,  darksome  day ; 
Thus  God  from  ills  to  come 

The  righteous  takes  away  ; 
Yet  to  her  Father's  will  resign' d, 

The  Church,  bereav'd,  doth  say  : 
Rest,  soldier,  shepherd,  pilgrim,  priest, 
Friend,  father,  worn-out  watcher,  rest — 
Sleep  thou  in  Jesus,  on  thy  Saviour's  breast ! 

We  close  the  volume  with  the  inscription 
copied  from  the  tablet  in  Trinity  Church,  St. 
Armand  East,  where  the  good  man  officiated 
in  his  earlier  days  : 


I 


Fl 


MUBAL  TABLET  AT  8T.    AKMAOT>.  137 


Eid  ; 


idl 


St! 

ription 
•ch,  St. 
iciated 


IN  MEMORY  OF 
THE  HON.   AND  EIGHT   EEV.   CHARLES  JAME8  STEWART.   D.D.. 
FOUNDER  05  THIS  CHURCH,  AND  LATE 
LORD  BISHOP  OF  QUEBEC. 
AS  MINISTER  OF  THIS  CHURCH  FROM  THE  YEAR  1807 
TO   1815,    HE  WAS   EMINENTLY  PIOUS, 
CHARITABLE,   AND   ZEALOUS  IN    EVERY    GOOD  WORK 
THAT  CAN  ADORN  THE  CHARACTER  OF  A 
CHRISTIAN  MINISTER  ; 
AND 
AS  BISHOP  OF  THE   DIOCESE  FROM  THE  YEAR  1826, 
TILL  HIS   DEATH   IN   1837, 
HB  EVER  CONTINUED  THE  INDEFATIGABLE 
PROMOTER   OF  RELIGION,    EDUCATION, 
CHARITY,    AND  PEACE. 
DJ   LIFE  HE  MANIFFESTED  THE  HOLY 

INFLUENCE   OF  THE  GOSPEL 

BY  FERVENT   LOVE  TO  HIS  LORD    AND 

SAVIOUR, 

HIS  CHARITY  TO  THE  POOR, 

AND  UNWEARIED  ZEAL  TO  BUILD  UP 

THE  CHURCH  OF  GOD  IN  THE  WILDERNEBS. 

"  MEMORIA  JUSTI  F^T  BENBDICTA.' 

12* 


ft 


